Above the Waves
by Mystic Lady Fae
Summary: Slight Little Mermaid crossover. Coral is cursed to live as a mute human for saving a sailor's life. Still possessing some of her mermaid powers, Coral finds herself taken in by the very sailor she saved, Captain Jack Sparrow. Jack/OC.
1. Coral

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. Well, just a Jack Sparrow poster, and maybe a magazine or two, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, plotline, etc) are mine.

AN: I know this is late being posted, but real life caught me in its web, so it took me a while to get around to doing this.

Anyway, this is going to be a _**Little Mermaid**_ meets _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_ kind of story. It's mostly the same as _**The Little Mermaid**_, but hopefully it will still be enjoyable and at least a little bit original, since it's got our beloved Captain Jack Sparrow in it. Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 1: Coral:**

The life of a mermaid can be enchanting and beautiful, with the vast waters of the sea open for you to explore and play in. We are the children of Poseidon, who is not only our god, but also our king. With such a vast kingdom, his main concern is the wellbeing of the sea, and so he decreed that the merfolk were free to live and explore his realm with no fear of danger from its creatures below the waves.

But even though we merfolk have a carefree existence, our world can be a dangerous and fearful one, particularly when it came to our visits above the lapping waves of our home.

For many millennia, mankind has feared and admired us, the people who dwell in the ocean and can breathe in the air and the water. Since the first mermaid was spotted by ancient sailors, stories of my people spread wildly throughout the world, causing many humans to come in search of us and the supposed treasures we gathered from sunken ships.

I laughed, a stream of bubbles escaping my lips as I swam through the warm, clear water. Treasures? It was absurd for a mermaid to stay in one place and guard a mound of objects she had no use for. True, the things humans made were very pretty, but it also very heavy, and no self-respecting mermaid possessed more than what she could wear on her person or in her hair.

I suppose it is because, whenever humans spot us, we mermaids are wearing something they consider valuable. From the wrecks of ships, we take whatever strikes our fancy and wear them in our hair, around our necks, or string a number of them together to sit just above our waists, where our tails began. These objects have no value to us –we merely like how pretty they are. When we grow tired of one thing, we either let it drop to the sea floor, or, should we encounter one of our kin, freely trade it for something the other is wearing.

Cordially greeting a passing turtle, I swam towards an outcrop of coral, looking for a place to rest. '_We are nomads. We travel with the currants and go where we please. What use is it to settle in one place and have a mound of things that you must guard every day for centuries_?'

The only ones who chose to live in one place were our cousins, the Sirens, and those mermaids who wreaked vengeance on poor, unsuspecting sailors. They lived in underwater caverns beneath newly formed islands, occasionally emerging to sing sailors to their deaths.

Sadly, I had several blood-sisters who chose to take the lives of sailors. They claimed these acts to be done in the name of justice, for those of our kind who were tortured and killed by humans. Thankfully, it was an act they did not perform often, for doing so would cause men to seek and hunt us. By using their voices only when it amused them, my sisters and cousins assured that the merfolk were considered a myth, and did not truly exist.

Whenever I stopped to visit them, my sisters, using the mind-speaking powers of our people, often laughed at my disapproval of them harming humans. "_Oh, Coral_," they said with a chuckle and a smile, "_You're young yet. When you are older, perhaps you will see the rightness in what we do for our people_."

How could destroying a living creature be considered a good thing? I did not relish the idea of killing and death –I enjoyed living too much for that. Thus, I avoided humans at all cost –not only were _they_ violent, but they also seemed to bring out the worst in my people, so I chose to keep well away from them.

Focusing on my surroundings, I pushed forward in search of a place to rest. Even if I was a mere two hundred years old, I loved swimming through the different waters of the world and exploring them. It was still a joy to me, discovering new places and meeting new creatures, and the idea of tainting it with the blood of mortal men was something that made my stomach churn.

I sighed, releasing another stream of bubbles from my lips. Oh, the wonders the sea held! The cold waters of the far north were thrilling, particularly when the whales migrated between their feeding grounds. I dearly loved playing with the newborn calves of the smaller whales, and with the larger breeds of whales, I often helped new mothers protect and care for their young. Seals and their little ones were of special delight, as their faces were darling to look at, and they were great fun to chase and hunt food with underwater.

In the far south, I dove and chatted with the flightless black-and-white sea birds as the mothers and fathers hunted for food for their young. When the chicks came to the sea to hunt for the first time, I swam with them to make sure they were successful in feeding themselves, and occasionally protected them from harm when they needed it most.

The warmer waters, however, were the most popular among my people. The water was clear and incredibly soothing to our skin, and the animals far more colorful and amusing. The dolphins that dwelled there are considered the favorite animals of the merfolk, for they are great fun -they leap, play, chat, and laugh with us, and are constant companions to the merfolk who choose to live in those areas.

But best of all, they were always willing to help us search sunken ships for new treasures. Seals, with their sweet faces, and whales, with their deep wisdom of the seas, were also favorites, but less so than the sleek, quick, amusing dolphins.

Here, in the warm waters humans called the Caribbean, I felt almost at home. The waters of the Mediterranean were far too busy with sailors and humans traveling, and in my thirtieth year of life, I had chosen to confine myself to the waters of the Atlantic, namely the north and southern ends of it.

My sisters had told me of the Caribbean long ago –a bit of information they had gleaned from the mind of a dying sailor before letting him drown – and as the curious mermaid I was, I had of course decided to see it for myself when I was traveling alongside my migrating whale friends, before I traveled to the far south to visit the animals there.

Thus far, I had visited the Caribbean many times, but only briefly, and had never ventured very far into its waters. I had usually come here on my way from the far waters of the north to the south, and back. Now I was here to spend at least a century exploring this realm, and to see my cousin, the goddess Calypso. Hopefully she wouldn't be too upset by a surprise visit from me!

Looking around, I had to admire the beauty around me. I did so love the softness of the sand, the smooth, blissful feel of warm water caressing my skin, and how vibrantly welcoming the creatures were! There were so many dolphins to talk with, and even if some of the creatures here were grumpy, they were at least relatively polite whenever I asked for help in finding places to rest or coral reefs to explore.

There! A large stone bare spot of soft, warm sand that looked comfortable. A perfect spot to rest! I sent out a soft mental call, checking that the area around it was not occupied by an artfully hidden creature. A large flat-fish looked up at me, and did grumble about being disturbed, but moved on, leaving the place to myself.

Sighing in relief, I perched myself on the rock and let my long, silvery blue-green tail come to rest on the sand, my fingers running through my dark hair. It was a tangled mess, I knew, and presently bare of any ornaments. I had left all of my old hair decorations behind in the waters near Greece, Poseidon's old home, as a tribute to my king and God, and now had to find new ones. It was my way of trying to start anew here.

Reaching for the long gold chain that ran twice around my waist, my fingers brushed the small sack made of strung-together sea shells that hung there. Pulling it open, I reached inside and quickly found my mirror, which I immediately opened. Designed like a clamshell, I had found it fifty seasons ago in a sunken ship.

Looking into it, I winced. Like most of my people, I had blue eyes, though I secretly longed for green, like my mother's, or the incredibly rare violet, like my mother's mother. As usual, my eyes were lovely and sparkled like the sea beneath the cloudless sky. Unfortunately, there were dark circles beneath them, likely from lack of sleep, and my hair was in desperate need of a combing.

As with all mermaids, I had a comb with me at all times, in my satchel. Seeing that I presented an awful sight, I brought it out immediately and began combing through my long, dark locks, my eyes not straying from my image in the mirror.

The moment the comb touched my hair, the water around me began to grow warmer and almost dance as I closed my eyes and started to hum. It was a common trait among my people –mermaids hummed and sang with such powerful voices that we could command or persuade mermen or human males to do almost anything for us. Today, though, I simply hummed for the sake of being content with how things were in my world.

Something smooth suddenly brushed my back, breaking my trance. Whirling around, I felt the fins on my wrists prickle, the deadly poison in them ready in case it was a shark on the attack. Normally, the sea's predators knew better than to attack the Children of Poseidon, but when they were out of their minds with hunger, their instincts overcame them, and we merfolk had to defend ourselves.

'_Oh, I wish I could wield electricity like the eels do_,' I wistfully thought to myself as I searched for the intruder. Usually the poison was enough of a defense, but still…

Hearing the high-pitched clicks, as well as a trill of familiar chatter, I burst out laughing. "_Shame on you for scaring me like that_!" I telepathically said to the dolphins, who shot through the water to my side. "_You know better than to frighten a mermaid_!"

Inside my head, I heard their amused replies, as well as a stream of apologies for frightening me. I smiled and put back my mirror and comb so that I could gently rub their smooth heads and commune with them easier, their beautiful, silvery-blue foreheads pressed against me as we 'talked.'

Though these dolphins were strangers to me, our two races were allies and friends. Thus, even though I was not native to these waters, this pod was willing to share information on where to hunt, which islands to avoid because of humans, and what was good to eat here. Some of this I already knew, but it was good to have it for later use.

A firm, but gentle touch in my mind drew my attention to one of the dominant females. Once she had my attention, she issued an invitation to hunt with them, declaring that the young ones were hungry, and it was time to teach them to catch their own meal. Thrilled (and hungry), I accepted.

Off into the deeper waters we went, the dolphins searching with their sound probes while I looked with my mind and eyes. I was able to find a lovely conch shell, with a full-grown occupant –a perfect meal for myself. From my chain-belt, I drew a knife my mother had given me long ago, when I had reached my age of majority. It was a short blade the length of my hand, plus another few inches, and it was the width of my smallest finger, but the edges were sharp and the handle was heavy. It would make a useful weapon in a bind, when my poisoned fins were not enough to protect me.

Using the handle, I broke off the tip of the shell, and thrust the blade through the small opening to kill the snail-like creature within. When I was sure of its death, I reached inside the shell and removed the dead creature, using my knife to trim away the outer parts so that I could get to the meat. My trimmings went to the younger dolphins, each of them getting a taste to tide them over until they caught something on their own.

Content with what I had caught, I spotted a large stone nearby, and quickly settled down on it, my tail wrapping around it to keep me from drifting off in the currants. Comfortable, I sliced a bit of the conch's main body and stuffed it into my mouth.

The meat was delicious, and a treat I had rarely partaken in. Mostly, I ate fish, shrimp, or whatever else lay in the cooler waters that had previously been my home. Only when I briefly visited the Caribbean could I feast on this, and now I could do eat all I wanted while learning to find new things that would be just as good.

Partway through my meal, I felt something round and hard in the interior of the usually tender flesh. Puzzled, I quickly sliced it open lengthwise, and was surprised to find a shining pink pearl within it. It was the size of my thumb's nail, and almost perfect in shape.

Giggling in delight, I put it in the sack dangling on my belt. I had other pearls, of course, from oysters I had shelled to feed other friends of mine, but none were this large! This was quite a good omen, I must say.

I quickly finished my meal and tucked my knife away so that I could scrub my hands with sand. Tidy once more, I thanked the dolphins for their help, and asked if they knew any places where I could make a refuge for myself in case of storms. Luckily, they did.

The dominant female showed me a mental image of a sunken ship that was close by, as well as an underwater cavern that led to a cave. The cave would be the ideal place to take shelter from storms, and to even hide from humans. While the ship sounded intriguing, the cave would be best to dwell in.

Thanking them again for their aid, I turned in the direction of the cave and swam off.

* * *

The distance was fairly long, nearly an hour's swim, but when I came to the island, I felt it was worth the effort.

From beneath the water, I saw that it had a very large opening that would likely show itself when the tide was low. Having a hidden sanctuary that could be accessed by humans was a risk a mermaid could not afford –like merfolk, humans are naturally curious, and when most of them are presented with a cave, they tend to go explore it.

In the end, I chose to investigate it while I was here. Besides, if I did not like it, I could always move on and find another place to call a storm shelter.

The underwater corridor was long, wide and dark, all of which were no difficulty to a mermaid -our eyesight was keen in waters both dark and lit. Wide caverns meant plenty of room for a long tail to maneuver, and didn't leave the feeling of being caged.

All around me swam fish and squid, while below me were crabs and sea stars creeping to and fro. I smiled as a tiny fish brushed up against my nose, obviously curious as to what I was. Gently sending it on its way, I spotted light at the end of my journey, and raced for it, only slowing down to that I could take a tiny peek up through the water to see if it was safe.

To my relief, the cave was empty and devoid of all life. There was bright sunlight streaming through a large hole off to the side, which fortunately wasn't big enough to allow much horrid weather in during a storm or hurricane. It was also very spacious; certainly big enough for sound to echo all around me. I could bring food here when I felt bad weather coming, and stay quite comfortable until things calmed down.

'_It wouldn't matter if the cavern flooded, either, given what I am_,' I thought with a grin.

There was also no sign of other merfolk having been here, or humans. Perfect!

Now that I had one place for shelter, I decided to go have a bit of fun.

* * *

It really is quite astounding, the things humans can create. I always envied their ability to take stones and put them into beautifully designed metal, all for the sake of showing it off to one another.

When the first trade ships began sinking, we mermaids immediately began investigating every pretty or interesting thing we could find in the wrecks. Occasionally, one of us would save a sailor from death –but instead of being grateful, it wasn't long before they started to hunt us out of fear and superstition.

In time, we turned our attention to collecting the goods that could be gathered and learning the materials they were made of by focusing hard on the thoughts of those who sailed aboard the ships. Reading the thoughts of humans wasn't difficult, as their minds were not as guarded or advanced as our own, so it was easy to learn what they called the things they carried. For some reason, they always seemed to bemoan the goods they lost, and often mentally repeated a list of whatever it was that sunk with their ship.

As for the sailors themselves, we chose to let them save themselves, so as not to draw attention to ourselves while we waited for the ship to sink. So far beneath the waves, it wasn't as though the humans could save what they lost, and since they could not breathe under water, they would never know what happened their belongings, or who took them to keep.

If it shone and could be worn around the waist, the neck, or in the hair, my people took it. It did not matter what it was made of, or if there were pearls or shiny stones set in it –as long as it was pretty, it was ours. When we tired of anything, we discarded it, traded it for another, or gave it away to the younglings too young to go out and collect their own baubles.

Presently, the only things I had were 'necessities' to a mermaid: namely my seashell satchel; a belt of gold links; my silver mirror with matching comb; and a small collection of pretty stones and pearls that I could not bear to part with. Everything else had been left behind so that I could start anew here in these warmer waters. Here, I could collect new pretty things, and on the day my sack grew too heavy to carry with me, I would search through it, toss away what I no longer needed or wanted, and go in search of others.

Through the water I swam, my tail swishing behind as it propelled me towards my destination. My mind focused on the directions the dolphins had obligingly given –over a particular form of coral (my namesake), and past a cluster of rocks that had a large, ugly metal object caught on it. My sisters called it an 'anchor,' and said that humans used these large objects to keep their ship in once place at sea, which I thought silly. Humans were such odd creatures!

Ah, there it was! It was large, and looked fairly old, but hopefully no one had explored it yet. I would find out soon enough.

Peeking through a gaping hole in the side, I projected my mind inside, searching for danger –the last thing I wanted to encounter was a furious eel, or worse, a hungry shark!

Finding it void of predators, I slipped inside. It wasn't as dark as the cavern I had explored, but there was little light to reach through the wood overhead. Even though I could see perfectly well, I wanted to at least get a good, detailed look at the things I found, so I reached into my satchel and retrieved a scallop shell the size of my fist. With a firm thought from me, the smooth, polished interior shone with a soft golden glow that lit up the interior of the ship with enough light to see, but without being blinding.

I couldn't hold back an excited grin as I began my search, being cautious about falling wood and other objects. The lower section was full of containers that were broken and falling apart; sadly, none of this had anything remotely interesting. Parts of the upper levels were falling down, so I chose to go upwards and see if the best things were kept where there would be easier access to them.

Retracing my trail, I went towards the top of the wreck and swam to the dwelling that sat on the top levels. I had learned that the leader of the sailors, whom they called "Captain," lived here, and kept some of the best things there for himself.

I slipped inside through the open entry and looked around. There were no bodies, thank goodness, but a great deal of objects had been tossed about and broken. Small fish swam about, but scattered when I shooed them away. Further in I swam, looking for anything to decorate my hair.

A gleam in the corner of my eye drew my attention. I followed it and found a partially open box with a bracelet of rubies set in gold streaming out of it. Smiling, I opened the container and let out an excited squeal of delight, frightening all fish away from me.

Pearls! There was a lovely string of pure white pearls here! The center one was the size of my thumb's nail, and from there, the pearls gradually grew smaller until they were half the size of my smallest finger's nail. Each pearl was perfectly formed, except for the center one, and the length of the string was tremendous. A great find indeed!

Rummaging through the box, I discovered a pair of bracelets that matched the strand of pearls, as well as several other pieces that looked promising. I would sort through them back at the cave and decide which ones to keep.

Gathering up the contents, I put them into my satchel and went to explore the rest of the ship.

* * *

AN: Well, what do you think of the first chapter? Some might find this chapter a bit dull, but this is mostly so people get to know the lead female character. Don't worry; Jack will be showing up soon, and then the real fun will begin. Thanks for reading, and please review!


	2. A Set of Intriguing Events

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean **_or_** Little Mermaid**_. Well, except the movies, a Jack Sparrow poster, a magazine with his picture, and the _**Pirates**_ soundtrack, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: I know I'm updating early this week, but I'm making up for posting this story later than normal. Plus, I'll be way too busy later this week to post, so it's better I do it now than later. Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 2: A Set of Intriguing Events:**

Yawning, I stretched out on the seaweed-covered stone I had made into a bed and let my tail swish slowly about in the water. I had chosen to make a nest on land last night, as nighttime sea creatures tend to poke their noses against us mermaids while we sleep. The cave was chilled, but merfolk weren't bothered by things like warmth or cold, and with a large mound of kelp and seaweed to soften the rock, I had no difficulty sleeping well.

An arm's length away from me was the wooden box I had taken from the sunken ship, its contents spilled out across the stone. After some time in the captain's living area, I had come up with little else to take with me. The garments humans wore were of little use to me, and after two hundred years of exploring ships, I had come to learn that, unlike mermen, human males possessed little in the way of things to decorate themselves with. It appeared that human females possessed these lovely things, but always seemed to requires far more than any mermaid could ever hope to gather.

'_How they hope to wear all of it at once is something I will never understand_,' I thought, shaking my head as I toyed with a necklace with emeralds set in it. '_Some of it is so heavy even a merman would have difficulty wearing it for very long_!'

Perhaps they wore things one or two at a time? If so, they must have a horde somewhere, and go back to change out what they didn't want to wear anymore. But that would tie them down to one place, and that would not do for a mermaid or merman –we loved being free to go wherever we pleased and seeing new things. Being in the same place with the same people tends to get very boring to beings that could live several thousand years, barring accidents.

Tracing my fingers over my new findings, I knew the pearls would be my favorite hair adornment. With the long strand draped carefully around my arm, I bent over the still water of the lagoon, using it for a mirror, and began putting my hair into a tight braid.

Over, under, around, and through my locks wove the strand of pearls. The large center pearl sat perfectly at the center of my forehead, and the strands pulled to the back of my head, where they crossed over each other once before being interwoven within my braid. When I reached the end of both braid and strands, I firmly wrapped the pearls over and around the braid's tail and securely clipped it in place. Pleased with my work, I admired how prettily the pearls shone against the darkness of my hair.

'_Now to look over the other things I brought back_.'

Besides the bracelet of rubies and the necklace with emeralds, there was a smaller, thinner bracelet of blue sapphires, another bracelet of golden yellow stones the size of my fingernail, and several pairs of pretty things that I knew went on the ears. I had never worn them, but my sisters adored them. I should save them, for my next visit to their island.

My favorite of all my finds, however, were the two bracelets of white pearls that went beautifully with the strand in my hair. Since the pearls matched, and the other things were too heavy to wear (in my opinion, at least), I chose to tuck them into my satchel and return to the wreck for a more thorough search. There was likely a great deal that I had missed in the lower levels, and I could sort through all of my findings after I finished. Besides, I needed to catch my morning meal.

Slipping into the water, I narrowly missed an eel slithering past. It turned and gave me a watery _hiss_, and tried to bite my tail, but when I hissed back and flashed my poison-filled fins at him, he turned and swam off, muttering curses about me. I only smiled and headed out into the ocean, ready to hunt.

* * *

As I was new to the Caribbean, I was relatively unfamiliar with which fish were eatable and which were not. Luckily, I had paid attention to what the dolphins had hunted yesterday, and listened to their suggestions on what to hunt, so I was able to catch myself a nice meal of fresh, sweet fish. Perhaps this afternoon I would find another conch, or some clams, or even a crab.

Returning to the vessel, I dove downwards into its depths, searching for anything interesting. Here, I knew, most of the sailors slept, and they tended not to have much, so it was mostly out of curiosity than the desire to add to my collection.

As I emerged from the wreckage, a massive form glided overhead, covering me in its shadow. Looking upward, I wondered what a whale was doing here, and closed my eyes to ask it. However, instead of reaching the impressive, wise mind of a whale, I heard the jumble of human thoughts, and immediately withdrew my own questing ones. It wasn't a whale up there; it was a ship!

Normally, I avoided humans, but sometimes, my curiosity won out and I had to see what they were like, at least from a distance. Indeed, I had occasionally seen them from afar, sometimes by accident and sometimes for just a small glimpse, but perhaps it was time for me to get a closer look. Besides, I really ought to see what caused my sisters and cousins to dislike humans so much, and if they were the evil creatures we believed them to be.

With a flick of my tail, I shot through the water, careful to keep my head below the waves as I trailed behind the ship. It took a short while, but I soon began to realize that we were headed for the same island where I had my cavern, a fact which made me worry. I knew that no one had been in that cave before I arrived, but if humans decided to settle there, even for a little while, there was the risk that I would be seen and, eventually, hunted by them.

'_I had better start looking for a second sanctuary soon, in case this should happen again_.'

Much to my relief, the ship floated to the far side of the island, away from my cavern, and let down their huge metal anchor to keep their ship in one place. Well, that was a relief! They certainly wouldn't be able to discover my safe refuge from here!

A much smaller boat was lowered to the water, and I could not resist surfacing to take a closer look. Keeping myself hidden behind part of the ship, I studied the men in the tiny vessel. All were dirty, and a good number of them had hair on their faces as well as their heads, but they all seemed cheerful as they settled down to sit. I noticed, however, that they seemed to be waiting for something…or, perhaps, _someone_?

One of the ropes holding the little vessel steady began to sway wildly, and I couldn't resist a look upwards to see what was causing it. That was when I saw the oddest man begin the climb downwards towards his fellow sailors.

If it weren't for the legs, I could have sworn to Poseidon himself that this fellow was a merman. There were all sorts of odd things woven into his dark hair, as well as a piece of red cloth holding it all back and in place and I had to admire the way the rings on his hands sparkled. Merfolk did not wear rings –our hands had to be free in case of danger, and to handle our tools under water.

Squinting, I was thankful that my eyes were so keen, as I was able to see the black markings around his eyes, which were as dark as his hair. He was a very beautiful, for a human –I had never seen a more perfect nose or elegant face, and his smile was not only catching, it seemed to be a bit naughty as well.

Taking an even closer look at his face, I saw that there were even beads dangling from the hairs on his chin! Biting back a giggle, I watched as he turned briefly in my direction, his eyes not on his surroundings, but on the men around him. I saw him talk to some, nod towards others, and grin at a fellow with grey hair, who smiled back at him.

I believed him to be just another sailor, but the way the others deferred to him and his manner of dress indicated that he was the Captain. I watched in fascination as he stood at the front and directed the men towards shore, yelling things as the men labored to get to their destination. However, by the time they reached land, even my excellent eyes could barely see them clearly, and so I decided to risk a closer look. There were several stone outcrops in the water that I could hide behind, out of sight of both the men on land and on the ship.

Ducking under the water, I made my way to a cluster of tall rocks near the shore, and let my head out of the water only to just above my mouth. I could clearly see the ship, and the shore, but behind the rock, no one could see me…or so I hoped. Even if they did spot me, by the time anyone let out a cry of alarm, I would be gone long before they could hope to catch me.

Under their own power, my eyes drifted towards the Captain. I watched in amusement and amazement as he swayed oddly down the sand, his hands waving in the air in the strangest manner. In a merman, such gestures would not be unusual –we merfolk often gestured while speaking mind-to-mind with one another to emphasize what we were saying. In a human, however, this was unusual, and even _I_ knew that the way he walked was not normal.

Now, I did not understand human speech, but I could read his actions and caught a glance of his thoughts, which was helpful. Apparently they were gathering food and other things for the ship, and the Captain wanted to be sure there was enough to last a while.

I honestly don't know how long I clung to the rock, watching him move back and forth, helping his men and giving them orders until the smaller vessel was full. That was when two or three men took it back to the main ship to be emptied, and brought it back to be refilled. This happened two or three times before the Captain was satisfied, and by then, all of them looked happy to leave.

Back to the ship they all went, talking and laughing tiredly, and it was here that I had a full view of the Captain's face. He looked very pleased, and very handsome, but he also looked more than a little smug with himself. I sighed quietly –there were several mermen I had met who were just as arrogant as this fellow looked, and I hadn't been able to bear being around them for very long. A pity this human looked as they did.

'_But he is still good, at least a little. He obviously cares for his men, and is at least on good terms with them, so he must not be so terrible_.'

From my hiding spot, I waited until the anchor was lifted and the ship was heading out to sea before emerging. By then, they were far enough away that they could not see me, and I was free to go where I pleased.

And, of course, it pleased me greatly to trail behind the ship and its fascinating Captain.

* * *

We hadn't gone far from the island before I noticed a change in the water. A large storm was coming, and though I was relatively safe enough in the sea, the humans were in very great danger and I dared not warn them for fear of being attacked and killed.

'_They are sailors_,' I assured myself. '_They must know how to take care of themselves in a storm_.'

I should have left them at that point, but for some reason, I could not. A part of me cried out that I needed to leave and go to my cave for shelter, but my heart told me to stay and be sure that the ship and its crew were alright.

As I expected, it wasn't long before the waves grew rough, and the currents beneath them soon followed. The water changed from a clear blue to a menacing grey, and as I looked up, I noticed that the ship was rocking from side to side. This was going to be a very bad storm indeed, and to keep myself safe, I needed to delve deeper into the sea, so that I would not risk being harmed by objects falling from the ship or being tossed about in the currents.

Down I went, down into the darker depths of the water, but I always stayed within sight of the ship, waiting for trouble to come. When it came to humans, trouble was always close by.

I found myself growing tired as great gusts of wind blew the ship forward and the currents pushed against me, but still I swam on, determined to stay as close to them as I could. I did stop to rest once and a while, and to hunt a fish or two for sustenance, but never for long. I ate while I swam, and stopped only when necessary.

Up above, the storm grew stronger, and I dared to rise a bit in the water, my senses strained as I tried to measure how dangerous things were all around me. The sea was my home and my element, and I was able to read it perfectly in whatever situation arose. That was why, when a living human splashed into the water, I knew immediately.

Terrified for the poor soul, I raced to the floating form, and was shocked to see the Captain with the beaded hair. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around his waist and began to haul him back to the surface. Before we had gone too far, I knew that I would not make it in time –he would die long before then, drowned in my arms.

Looking at his unconscious form, I made a quick decision. Closing my eyes, I called on the small spark of magic that each mermaid possessed, a power that was rarely used by my people. When I felt it swell up into my throat, I opened my eyes and pressed my mouth to the Captain's, parting his soft, warm lips with my tongue to give him the Breath of the Sea.

I aught not to have done it, but the Breath was the only thing that could save him. It gave humans the ability to breathe underwater, but only for a short time -just long enough for them to reach the surface and to the air they naturally breathed. In my lifetime, no mermaid had used this ability –it had been used frequently in ancient times, back before we were hunted and feared by humans, but not now.

From my throat drifted a small wisp of shining blue mist that was pure sea magic, and at my will, it flowed from my lips and past his to settle into his lungs. Once the power had fully left me, I pulled away, waiting to see if it took to him.

For a moment, nothing happened, but to my relief and joy, he began to breathe as I did, though he remained mostly unconscious. That was good; at least he would not be able to see who –or what- had saved him!

Grabbing a firm hold on him, I swam towards the surface, my tail straining to get there before the spell ran its course. It felt like ages, but finally, there it was, and I, nearing exhaustion, forced myself to breach the water, the Captain still in my arms. As I struggled to keep him afloat, I realized that I could not let his sailors see me. I would have to abandon the poor man as close to the ship as I dared without being caught.

Turning onto my back, I ducked myself beneath the water and turned the Captain so that he faced upwards, letting him breathe while I swam at his back, clutching to the back of his clothes so that I was not seen as I took him back towards the ship. It took ages, swimming through the rough waves, but when we finally reached the ship, it wasn't long before my burden was spotted by one of the crew.

Relieved that I could now release the man I carried, I sank deep below the waves just as a rope dropped to the water and a man jumped after it.

Not daring to remain, I let myself sink to the bottom of the sea, where I was able to find a nice patch of sand to curl up and fall asleep on.

* * *

"Captain, are you alright?" yelled a voice in his ear, startling him awake.

Opening his eyes, Jack looked up at the anxious faces of his first and second mates. "Aye, I believe so. What happened? The last thing I remember is a wave knocking me overboard."

Anna-Maria snorted. "That's what Gibbs saw, but really, Jack, you know better than to try running along the deck without a secure rope around you for safety! And what were you thinking, leaving the helm to Cotton when _you_ should be navigating the Pearl through a storm?"

He waved her words aside. "Nevermind that. What happened? How did I get back onboard?"

Gibbs shook his head. "You must have a god of luck on your side, Captain. Sure enough, you went overboard, but somehow, as the Pearl sailed onwards through the storm, you managed to drift up close to us. Not sure how, but when I tried to search you out in the sea, there you were. It was almost like Poseidon himself was pushing you towards the ship so that we could find you."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Must be that Jack Sparrow luck you always talk about, Gibbs. Now, we've a ways to go before this storm tires out. Do you want the helm back, Jack, or should one of us take over it while you rest up in your cabin?"

Jack scowled at her. "Rest up in my cabin? What sort of whelp do you take me for, Anna-Maria? You two get back to work while I get us to shore, savvy? We'll be in Tortuga early tomorrow, and only after we're safely in its docks will I settle for a rest! Now get back to your duties, before my Pearl sinks into the sea!"

Without hesitation, they ran off, leaving Jack to haul himself to his feet and get to the helm, where he relieved Mr. Cotton. As the mute man and his bird headed off to help the rest of the crew, Jack gripped the wheel's spokes and frowned, his concentration fully on getting them safely to dock.

But in the back of his mind, part of him wondered how on earth he'd managed to escape death this time, when he was sure the sea should have claimed him.

* * *

AN: Well, what do you think? A shorter chapter this time, but one with a lot going on, so hopefully that makes up for it. Please be kind and review to let me know how I'm doing. Thanks!


	3. A Touch of Destiny

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Here's another chapter! Thanks so much to everyone for reading this story; I'm glad that people like it, or at least find it interesting (for now, at least). Thanks again, and please be kind and review.

**Chapter 3: A Touch of Destiny:**

By midmorning the next day, the Pearl made it to shore without any other traumatic incidents, though how they managed _that_ was beyond Jack. No one else had gotten swept overboard, or even seriously injured -there were the usual strained muscles, pulled limbs, and a twisted ankle or two, but that was to be expected.

As Jack knew would happen, there were other ships limping into Tortuga, and he considered himself lucky that there was room for the Pearl to dock -his crew needed have their wounds tended to, and Gibbs had to take stock of what supplies they were short of or what had been lost in the storm. Needless to say, things were going to get very busy for him, and for his first and second mates.

Seeing as he'd been swept out to sea (_and_ miraculously rescued), Jack had been forced by Anna-Maria into visiting the best doctor in Tortuga. By normal standards, men who called themselves 'doctors' in this pirate port were mediocre, at best, and at worst, hacks that killed more patients than they saved.

Luckily, Doctor Phillips was better than mediocre, and actually knew what he was doing. So when he told Jack to rest for a few days and let his first and second mates perform the tasks of seeing to the Pearl and her crew, Jack took the advice to heart and retired to bed.

Of course, after only one full day of sleeping and eating in bed, he was extremely restless.

"Normally, I like being a bit lazy, but only in small amounts," he complained to the empty cabin. "I'm a man of action! I need to go out and do something, or else I'll go mad from boredom!"

The problem was, there was nothing for him _to_ do. The wounded were all resting in their hammocks, and Gibbs had made sure that their remaining supplies had all been tallied and appropriately restocked. Anna was in town with a list of medicines to keep onboard, and all the men who weren't injured or on duty aboard the Pearl were in town, amusing themselves. The Pearl wasn't even badly damaged, so all repairs had been finished quickly.

"Worst of all, we won't be leaving for a few days yet," Jack grumbled. "Why should I stay bedridden like a weakling? It's not like I've got a bloody concussion! I wasn't even hurt, just slightly soggy from a dip in the water!"

Not to mention that closed spaces were his least favorite places –they reminded him of jail cells and dungeons. Even his own quarters began pressing in on him after too much time indoors, which was why he preferred being outside and in the open during a storm or hurricane. With a rope around his waist to keep him onboard, the deck was where he'd much rather be, with the wind, the rain and the sea all around him.

'_Outside is where I need to be_,' he realized.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Jack pulled on his boots, effects, hat and coat, and threw open the door leading to his main cabin. A tray with lunch sat waiting for him, all of it portable food he could take with him. Onto a cloth napkin he tossed a chicken leg, some bread, cheese and an apple, taking it all with him onto the deck, where he immediately sat upon the steps leading up towards the helm.

As he ate his luncheon, he couldn't help but think about what had happened to him only a day or two ago. It wasn't something he wanted to bring up to his crew, or even Gibbs and Anna-Maria –if he did, they would think him mad, and that was the last thing he needed.

'_Still, I can't help what I feel in my gut_,' he reasoned to himself. '_And my gut is telling me that it wasn't mere luck that kept me from dying in the sea during that storm_.'

Someone, or something, had saved him from drowning, and he could only guess what it was. It might have been either a sea spirit, like a nymph, a dryad, or a sprite, or it could have even been a mermaid (which was laughable). All Jack knew was that he had felt death coming upon him, and something had pulled him from an imminent watery grave.

'_But __**had**__ it been my time to go_?' he wondered.

All he knew was that he'd been on deck, trying to help the men tie down several key ropes while Cotton held the helm, and somehow been hit by a bit of flying debris. He'd then gone overboard, and the next thing he knew, he was being saved.

'_It felt like arms had been around me, dragging me to the surface. But I could swear that I was able to breathe as we made our way up through the water! How is __**that**__ possible_?'

It shouldn't have been, and yet, he'd been taken to the surface, air in his lungs, and somehow broke through the waves near the Pearl, where he was rescued by his crew.

But in the back of his memories, Jack could swear to Heaven that he'd felt a woman's lips on his own, a kiss that had surely saved his life. And as if that weren't enough, he could swear that, as he was being dragged onboard by Gibbs, he had seen the outline of a woman in the water. The others had been too busy fussing over him, but Jack knew what he had seen.

Shaking those dark thoughts from his head, Jack pondered what to do with his day. He had to take things easy, or else he'd get an earful from not just Anna, but also Gibbs. Honestly, it was like having his parents onboard!

He shuddered at that thought. '_Best to keep my mind on a happier note_.'

Perhaps a walk along the beach would do the trick. It'd been a while since he spent time on land, and walking tended to open up the mind and put it at ease, so why not?

Quickly polishing off his food, Jack tossed the remnants over the side and headed down towards the docks, letting his feet take him towards the beach. Perhaps, if he was lucky, he would find something interesting down on the sand –unusual things tended to wash up on shore after a rough storm.

* * *

When I woke from my exhausted sleep, it took me a little while to determine my surroundings. Reading the emotions of the creatures around me, I immediately knew that it hade been a day since the storm –and judging from my internal sense of direction, I was also a long ways from my cavern.

This was not a good thing, as sleeping for long periods of time out on the ocean floor could be dangerous for even a mermaid. Currants could sweep us away, and we could easily be killed by these currants smashing us against rocks, or worse, washing us up into the sight of humans, who would not hesitate to capture, torture, and kill us.

How fortunate for me that one of the greater sharks was passing by! I knew that humans feared them, but if one catches a shark at the right moment and they are in the right mood, they could be very helpful –particularly if you promise to feed them something as payment.

Locating a conch on the floor, I quickly killed it. After keeping some of it for myself, I offered the shark the rest of my kill, like I had done with the dolphins. When it came to making bargains with sharks or other hunters of the sea, conch was the best payment –it was a favorite of theirs, but without hands or tools, it was incredibly difficult for them to get past the hard shell that protected the tender, snail-like creature within.

With the edge taken off his hunger, the shark permitted me to grip his large fin in my hands so that he could pull me along. When my grip was secure, he gave a powerful flip of his tail and we were off, racing through the water at speeds a human could not imagine. It would take time to reach my safe haven, but at least I would not have to make the swim myself!

When we finally reached the area outside the cavern, I immediately went to work, hunting mussels, fish and oysters to feed the shark, thereby fulfilling the other half of my bargain with him. That took a great deal of effort, but when I finished, I was home and the shark was content, so the both of us were satisfied.

After eating my part of the conch from what I had slain for the shark, I managed to flop myself down on the cave floor for a long rest.

* * *

The next day, I woke feeling very refreshed and contented. A new day had dawned, and I was eager to go out exploring again.

Stretching out my tail, I dove into the water and headed out to sea, only to be met by a shocking sight. Before me were two of my sisters, and one of my cousins, a Siren.

I didn't bother to ask how they had gotten here so quickly –it was likely that they asked Poseidon or one of the minor sea deities for help in getting to the Caribbean. No, what puzzled me was _what_ they were doing here in the first place, as my sisters Anemone and Aquamarine usually remained in the waters off of England, or near the waterway that led to the Mediterranean. The Siren was a stranger to me, but from the red gemstone decorations in her thick black hair, it was likely that she'd assumed the name "Ruby," for her favorite hairpieces.

"_Sisters_," I greeted with a nod of my head as I sent my thoughts towards them. "_Cousin. What brings you to my storm sanctuary_?"

Anemone's blue-green eyes bore into mine as her thoughts answered my own. "_**You**__ do, sister. We know what you did, not more than two days ago_."

Our eldest sister, Aquamarine, shook her head, disappointment glowing in her purple eyes. "_Oh, Coral, how could you do such a thing_? _You know how it is against our laws to save humans from death_!"

That made me angry. "_It is one of __**your**__ ancient laws, not mine_. _You and those who seek the deaths of sailors created that law for yourselves to follow, not for the rest of us_! _A precious life was in danger, and I saved him. I have done nothing wrong_!"

Aquamarine sighed, sending up a stream of bubbles. "_Coral, what applies to us applies to __**all**__ merfolk. You saved the life of a human, something that has been forbidden for centuries in order to preserve the secrecy of our people_."

Anemone gave me a tender look. "_We know that, in the last two centuries, one or two of our kind have saved humans from death, but they always grew to regret it later. Those same humans they saved eventually tried to hunt us and destroy anything in their path in order to discover our secrets. We cannot risk that same thing happening again_."

The Siren, who had eyes of blue ice, glared at me. "_I am here, Cousin, to act out punishment on behalf of our people, as is befitting a Siren daughter of Poseidon. Your sisters have a strong affection for you, and therefore asked for mercy on your behalf. Thus, I must put to you one last chance to redeem yourself for your act_."

Her words frightened me a great deal. "_Saving a life is not a crime_," I insisted, "_And if it is, it shouldn't be_."

"_Nonetheless, in this case, it is_," the Siren firmly told me. "_The choice before you is this: you must lure a human to his death, to be taken in the stead of the one who ought to have died. If you do not, you will be cast out of the sea and cursed, doomed to be turned into the very creature you saved and to live that way until the end of your days_."

"_In this case, you will be a human_," Aquamarine sadly told me. "_Please, Coral. We don't want you to become one of them_!"

The very idea of leaving the sea and all that I loved frightened me. No longer would I be free to travel beneath the waves and see all of the marvelous, darling creatures that loved here. Instead of being suspended in the water, able to float and drift wherever I willed, I would be tied to land, forced to move by shifting feet back and forth. Rather than hovering over interesting things in the sand, I would have to hunch over and strain myself to investigate.

But could I take the life of another creature? True, I did so in order to eat, but humans were so like merfolk in form –could I take the life of someone who looked like me? My sisters did so, and gladly, but I was nothing like them.

'_However, if I do not, I will lose everything I love dearly_,' I thought, panicked.

Looking at them briefly, I sighed and hung my head. "_I will try to do as you ask_."

* * *

My stomach was in knots as I made my way towards the nearest island, one that my sisters had told me was inhabited by humans. As I neared shore, I could hear the chatter of hundreds of human minds, and had to try to block them all out. It was so much easier with dolphins and whales than it was with humans –the human mind was so much more complex and befuddled that it tended to give all merfolk aching heads whenever we ventured too close to their large cities.

All too soon, I arrived near the shoreline, keeping myself hidden as I searched for a human male, preferably one that was alone and very close to the water. Humans tended to wander into the sea to play or swim, so it was only a matter of time before I had to…

I shook the thought from my head. If I did not think about it, perhaps my task would be easier to carry out than if I did.

Nearing the shore, I hid behind a cluster of rocks and looked out at the sand. There was a human male, but also a female and a young one, who was also female –clearly a human family. The grown ones looked very happy as they stretched out a bit of cloth on the sand, the tiny girl running around laughing as she picked up things from the sand to show her mother and father. It was a charming sight, and I marveled at the odd way the little girl moved upon her tiny feet.

My heart immediately began to ache. What if I drowned a man who had young ones and a mate? How could I live out my centuries of life knowing that I had taken the life of a creature who had left loved ones behind?

I could not do it. I am not a killer.

Turning, I left the happy family on the beach, knowing I had done the right thing.

* * *

The Siren shook her head. "_I am disappointed in you, Cousin. You could not even do away with a single human to save yourself from a horrible fate. That says a great deal about your character_."

Anemone and Aquamarine looked at me with sadness, disappointment, and just a touch of anger. They had not been pleased when I returned without doing as they had asked, and had chosen to let the Siren speak for them rather than do so themselves.

I suppose I could have lied and claimed that I had done the deed, but as my people spoke in each other's mind, it was near impossible to lie. _Thought_ usually came before one spoke actual words, and since my people did not use actual speech in the form of words –thus, any hope of lying was nonexistent for me. Humans could lie, of course, but they were able to think, then form whatever words suited them. How fortunate they were!

The Siren stared at me intensely, a cold, unfeeling look on her face. "_Your punishment is clear. When dawn approaches, you will become human. You will be without the magic and lovely voice given to all mermaids. You will not have a friend in the world. Such is your fate after this day_."

With that, she and my sisters were gone, leaving me floating there in the warm waters, my long tail resting upon the sandy floor.

* * *

I do not know what happened to me after they left. I could not remember swimming away from the spot, but somehow, it had grown dark and I was approaching an island that hummed with the thoughts of many humans dwelling there.

By the time I was in the shallows near the shore, it was deep night. The great area where the humans lived was in the distance, so no human could see me in the lack of light. Safe, for now, I was able to settle down on the sand just beneath the waves and close my eyes, a great emptiness filling my heart.

As I settled into sleep, the strangest dream crept upon me.

In my dream, I was awake as my cousin, the sea goddess Calypso, appeared before me, her form taking shape in the sea water. This very much unnerved me -I had seen her a mere handful of times over the centuries, and she had been glad to see me, but never before had she appeared in my dreams.

_Why is she here now_? _Is it because I had brought her news and gossip from my travels, as well as small gifts from my scavenging of ships_?

"Coral," she said, her voice clear and echoing in every drop of water around us, "You have always been good of heart to those around you, no matter what their shape or form. For this, I will do my best to soften the curse that your sisters and cousin have placed upon you."

She smiled. "Although I am a minor goddess of the sea, my powers cannot fully undo something cast by both merfolk and Siren, as Poseidon's magic flows through them, and is stronger than my own."

Her words were a puzzle to me, but I chose to listen. The words of a sea goddess should always be considered.

"While you will lose your voice, I will help you to keep much of your mermaid magic," she continued, smiling. "You will still be able to speak with the creatures of the sea, and to use the powers of your mind so that you may understand the words spoken by humans, as well as their ways."

That was kind of her, but what good were those when I could never return to my home?

Calypso, however, was not finished. "But the greatest gift I will allow you to retain is the ability to use the Breath of the Sea on a mortal in need. What many of the merfolk do not know is that possessing the Breath grants the bearer the ability to breathe beneath the waves for a long period of time."

She grinned. "Granted, that is of no real importance to a mermaid, as she already has the ability to breathe beneath the waves, but as a _human_ with this power, it will be of great use to you, particularly if you wish to spend more than a few minutes swimming with dolphins or sharks."

I was speechless. This was far more than I could have ever hoped for! But why was she allowing all this? Why did she not think like my sisters and cousin did?

As though she could read my thoughts – which she probably could – Calypso reached out in her watery form and brushed my cheek with her hand. "You will be able to retain all of this because of your good deed towards others," she said kindly. "It is something your sisters could never learn, and I am proud that you are one of the few merfolk who has a good soul. For this, you will remain a mermaid in every way except in shape and voice."

Pulling her fingers back, I saw that her eyes were glowing white with power. "When you wake, dear Coral, you must remember this: that although you will be in a silent human form, should you find someone to love you for who you are, muted and all, you will regain the voice you have lost."

With that, my dream ended, and when it did, a terrible searing pain tore through my tail, causing me to wake and scream in torment.

It only lasted a moment, but to me, it seemed like an eternity. When the pain ended, I fainted in relief, collapsing onto the shallow sea floor with no idea what would happen when I woke.

* * *

AN: Well, what do you think? Poor Coral, but at least a certain Captain will be around soon to help her out! Please don't forget to review!


	4. Meetings and Fears

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Hello! Sorry for the late posting –real life got in my way, and there was no way around it. Anyway, at last, they meet…officially! Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 4: Meetings and Fears:**

Muttering curses under his breath, Jack did his best not to sulk –it wouldn't do for the Captain of the Black Pearl to be seen sulking.

It was his third day of following "doctor's orders," and it was driving him mad. He had tried to do a few chores around the Pearl this morning, but Anna-Maria or Gibbs had stopped him and told him to go relax in his cabin. Frustrated, he had pulled on his effects and headed out for a walk, which was one of the few activities he _could_ do without his first and second mates interfering.

Making his way along the water, he kept his eyes open, as things tended to wash up days after a storm hit. When ships went down, or if they had been hard-hit before making it to shore, some rather fascinating and useful things tended to come up on the sand. In fact, just yesterday he had managed to find a wooden box full of glass bottles of herbs and medicines, everything intact. True, it was a small find, but the fact that it had survived a storm was saying something!

As he approached the far end of the beach, Jack noticed a large form lying on the sand. At first, he thought it was a drunk from the town, but on closer inspection, he knew otherwise. Panic swelled up in him as he realized that it was a _female_ form, and that she was in trouble. Given what had happened a mere few days ago, she was probably a shipwreck victim who had been lost at sea before washing on shore.

He raced down the beach, sand flying in his wake. As he knelt down beside her, Jack noticed that she was bare of clothes, though she had the oddest satchel on her back. A gold link belt glittered beneath the mass of long, dark hair that streamed about her prone form.

Gently, so as not to hurt her, Jack turned the girl over, her head cradled in the crook of his elbow as fingers gently pulled back her hair so he could get a good look at her. She was pretty, with pale skin, dark lashes that matched her hair, and pale pink lips. Her face was slightly angular, but it kept her from being inhumanly beautiful. Something tickled in the back of his mind, telling him that she seemed a bit familiar, but he couldn't place the face. Then again, after all of the women he had seen in his life, they all started looking alike after a while.

Checking to see if she was still breathing, he was relieved to find that she was. Her pulse was strong, but she was shivering. '_She's probably got a chill from lying out here, and suffering from shock and dehydration. She's likely half-starved, too_.'

Moving quickly, Jack pulled off his coat and wrapped it around her, hoping that whatever warmth that lingered on the fabric passed to the girl. "Normally I wouldn't complain about having an attractive, naked girl in my arms, but I'd prefer it if she weren't half drowned and shivering from cold," he mumbled, checking to see if she was alright.

As he began to heft her up in his arms, Jack noticed that she had white pearls in her hair and on her wrists. "You must be a noblewoman," he whispered as he lifted her up, one hand on her back, the other under her bent knees. "But how is it that your clothes did not survive the swim here, but your satchel and gems did?" She also had a long knife tucked into the link belt at her waist. So far as he knew, nobles did not arm their young women, so why was this girl bearing such a thing so openly?

Well, those would be questions for later. Right now, he had to get her to the Pearl. Once she was well again, perhaps she would be able to answer his questions.

* * *

"I don't like it, Captain," Gibbs mumbled as he helped Jack bundle the girl under the sheets. "Keeping a shipwrecked girl in your cabin like this…what will the crew say when they find out?"

"Hopefully they'll think of the money we'll get when we ransom the girl to her family," Jack muttered back, careful not to wake her. "A girl with pearls in her hair and on her wrists, not to mention the gold around her waist has to come from money."

He retrieved the blade the girl had been carrying and handed it to Gibbs. "Here, hide this. If she turns out to be proficient with sharp objects, it's best that she not have her weapon of choice nearby."

"Well, she won't be of _any_ use if she sickens and dies while you two stand there chattering like fools," Anna-Maria snapped, walking into the cabin. "Now, the two of you heave off so I can tend her until that doctor arrives." She glared at Jack. "And don't _think_ about coming back in here until she's dressed and well enough to see other people."

Sighing, Jack turned and followed Gibbs out onto the deck, intent on having a hammock hung in the half-empty supply cabin next to his for him to sleep in. He might have given up his own sleeping quarters, but that didn't mean that he was willing to give up his privacy!

"Gibbs!" he hollered after his first mate. "I need you to get to work on something for me!"

* * *

I woke feeling sore, warm, and for the first time in my life, _completely dry_. It was not a good feeling.

Struggling to open my eyes, I realized my skin itched something dreadful. When my eyes finally dragged open, I discovered that my top half had been clad in a layer of cloth, with another larger one spread over me –this larger cloth was no doubt the source of the warm feeling around me. My hands moved slightly, and I could feel that my satchel, my gold chain belt, my blade, and my pearl bracelets were gone. The ones in my hair, however, remained.

Glancing around, I immediately knew I was inside a ship, and I could clearly see that I was in the Captain's sleeping area –after all, I had been in dozens of wrecked ships, so my location was quite obvious. But how had I come here?

That was when I heard someone speaking next to me. Turning my head, I saw a dark-skinned woman, her dark hair like mine, but with black eyes. As I couldn't understand human speech, I had no idea what she was saying, so I linked my mind to hers and let their meaning flow over me.

Apparently she and my other 'rescuers' had been worried about me, and had wondered about my recovery. It seemed that her Captain had found me on the beach and brought me here to their ship so that I could regain my health. The Captain had also had someone fetch a person called a 'doctor,' which was apparently a human who saw to the illnesses, injuries and health of other humans. How interesting!

Just then, a male voice called into the room, and for some reason, the woman beside me looked rather irritated at the intrusion. She huffed a little, and called back, which seemed to signal for the man to enter. To my complete shock, it was the Captain I had saved during the storm!

A mix of emotions churned through me at the sight of him. I was happy to see him alive; confused as to why _he_ had saved _me_; and in complete admiration at seeing him conscious and standing within reach of my hand. True, I had held him tightly while saving him, but then, I had been far too busy to take note of his appearance.

Up close, he was even more handsome than I'd thought. His mouth sparkled with gold and silver as he grinned at me, and the quaint sound of his hair ornaments clinking together made me smile timidly back. He also looked rather pleased, which confused me, but I was unable to ascertain why because he began talking and I had to focus on his mind and words in order to understand him.

'_Well, this fellow has a sense of humor_,' I thought, trying to hide my smile as his hands, heavy with rings, gestured wildly as he spoke.

He greeted me with a smile and a joke about my washing up on shore like a bit of shipwrecked treasure, which made the woman beside me roll her eyes. In a slightly more serious tone, the Captain then said that the doctor was now here to 'take a look' at me, and that the woman, Anna-Maria, would be here to keep me company while the doctor examined me.

As I had never been looked at thoroughly by a human before, I immediately became rather nervous. Like most merfolk, I didn't trust humans –however, I was now human, and thus, susceptible to illness when I hadn't been before. Merfolk did not have illnesses, though we could sustain injuries after an accident. Fortunately, we are a fast-healing people…or at least, I had been, when I was a mermaid.

'_I suppose I might as well start getting used to such things now_,' I thought, nodding as the Captain asked if he should allow the doctor in now.

Then he asked me my name, and the tiny bit of confidence and faux bravery I had managed to scrounge together vanished.

* * *

Jack knew that something was wrong when he asked the poor girl her name. Her face immediately began to crumple into the familiar shape of a woman ready to weep, and that instantly sent him into a male panic.

"No, no!" he hastily tried to assure her as Anna-Maria threw him a warning glare for having upset her patient. "No tears, please! I just want to know what to call you."

She then opened her mouth and motioned with one of her hands towards her lips. With that gesture, Jack felt his gut twist. The poor thing was mute! Had the storm done this to her? Could she have been injured, or had she been born this way?

"Well, Captain, where's my new patient?" Doctor Phillips asked as he entered the cabin. Spotting the girl on the bed, the old man smiled kindly at her. "Well, hello, there! I hear you've had a hard time lately. Let's see if we can get a better idea of how you're feeling, hmm?"

"Um, a word with you, Doctor?" Jack said, gesturing for him to go into the next cabin.

Once they were alone, Jack shut the door to the sleeping quarters. "Doctor, it seems that the girl is mute. As a mute girl is at great risk on my ship, I don't suppose there's a way to help the lass along on the road to quickly recovering her ability to speak?"

Doctor Phillips gave him a stern look over his spectacles. "Captain Sparrow, for all we know, she could have been born this way. You'll just have to have patience with her and learn her manner of communication so that there aren't any misunderstandings."

Jack couldn't help but be worried. "She isn't…_simple_, is she? She'll be quick to learn how things are when it comes to life aboard the Pearl?"

The doctor gave the pirate a knowing look. "Planning to ransom her off, eh? Lad, just because the girl can't talk doesn't mean she's a fool. Her eyes indicate that she's sound of mind, and she might surprise you with how intelligent she is."

He waved a hand to halt Jack's protests. "Now, I'm going to see to the girl and make sure that she's alright. She's either been mute from birth, or it could be that the trauma of being shipwrecked has caused her to lose her voice. Either way, if you plan on keeping her here on the Pearl, you and your crew are going to have to create a new form of communication between you and her. Now, you wait here while I tend to the young lady."

As the man pushed his way back into the sleeping quarters, Jack ran a hand down his face in frustration. '_Well, sometimes the most rewarding ventures are the most difficult. Hopefully this one will be one of the more profitable ones_.'

* * *

My time with the 'doctor' was one of the most interesting in my life. I had never been so closely examined, not even by curious sea creatures.

He was very kind, this Doctor Phillips, and quite gentle. His fingers were slightly callused, but still soft, and though his hands were old, they were steady as they held open my eyes, pressed at the veins in my wrists, and at the area just under my jaw. He asked me several questions, and after I had nodded or shaken my head at him, he appeared to be rather pleased as he called the Captain back in to join us.

Confused as to why he seemed happy with what he had discovered, I was forced to lean back, close my eyes, and use my mental abilities to their capacity to glean my answers. Perhaps, if I focused very hard on what they were saying…

Then, suddenly, it was as though the whole language was falling into place in my head. My mother had once told me that, if a mermaid were to focus entirely on the minds of one or two particular humans, our people could learn to understand human speech, and even absorb their knowledge into ourselves at will. We had to simply open our minds and accept the information that flowed through their minds, and it would be ours. It was a skill all merfolk bore, but one we refused to use due to our dislike and avoidance of humans. None had used this ability in millennia, and so, knowledge of it had turned into legend, which explained why I hadn't believed it possible –until now.

"She seems in perfect health, as far as I can tell," the doctor was saying. "She is exhausted, and in desperate need of good food and plenty of rest for a week or so, but then she should be right as rain."

I could sense his puzzlement in his next words. "However, I can find no physical reason for her voice to have been lost. It might be from the shock of being wrecked; if that is the case, then in the course of time, her voice will one day return." He paused for a moment. "Do not try and rush it, lad. She'll talk when she's good and ready."

I bit back a smile as I sensed a bit of shame in the Captain as he muttered, "Aye, well, as long as the lass is alright, I suppose that's all that matters."

"Of course she is," Anna-Maria declared. "Thank you, doctor. Is there anything you'd like me to give her? Or foods you think would do her best right now?"

"Start with bread, soups and stews at first, and make sure there's meat and vegetables in them," the doctor suggested. "Then, after a few days, you can feed her some sliced meat with a potato or two. In a week, she can have whatever it is you're feeding your crew."

I heard him rummaging for something somewhere. "Make sure she has fruit every day with her meals –it'll do her good. If there's any change for the worst, send for me _at once_."

"Aye, doctor, no worries," the Captain told him. There was the clank of small metal objects being dropped. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Captain Sparrow," the doctor replied. "Good day."

I heard him leave, and allowed myself to relax into the softness around and under me, though my mind was still awake. If they thought me sleeping, perhaps they would be unguarded with their words…

"Jack, don't even think about trying to get her up-and-about sooner than is good for her," Anna-Maria hissed at him. "The poor thing's been through enough!"

"Why, Anna, I was thinking no such thing," he said, though I could clearly hear his thoughts saying otherwise. "Let the lass rest; we'll see how fit she is in a couple days. She seems like a strong girl, though what we'll do with her after she's well is the question…"

Anna-Maria sighed. "If I know you, and I do, you'll want to try and ransom her when the time's right. If she's the mute daughter of some rich noble, they might not even _want_ her back! After all, invalids cost money to care for, especially if they're daughters who can't be married off. If her parents are as stingy as your typical nobles are, they'll not claim her and merely cut their losses. You might be stuck with her."

"Well, I have to get _something_ for the lass," the Captain (or Jack, I suppose) said. "The crew's going to hear about the pearls in her hair and on her wrists. They'll know she's of wealthy stock, and they'll want some good swag in compensation of keeping a mute girl aboard with us."

"That…I think can be dealt with easily," Anna said with some hesitation. "Here, look what was in her bag."

Now I opened my eyes, curious in spite of myself. I saw Anna rummage around my satchel and raw out the bracelets strewn with rubies, sapphires and yellow stones, and the emerald necklace I had found in the shipwreck. Following them were the pairs of ear jewelry, and the smaller sack that held the pearls and things I had found.

Sitting up, I struggled to protest, to ask them to leave the smaller bag alone. They were welcome to the rest, but the smaller bag held things of special value to me.

To my despair, nothing emerged except for a soft sound that was either a croak or a moan. Jack looked at me in confusion, but Anna seemed to understand that something was bothering me. She picked up all of my possessions and brought them over to me.

Grasping them in my hands, I immediately knew that I needed to repay them for their kindness. Taking the bracelet set with rubies, I offered it to Anna-Maria, who stared at me. She seemed confused as well, so I offered the bracelet again, this time with more emphasis, clearly indicating that I wanted her to have it.

Hesitant, she reached out and accepted it, carefully clasping it on her wrist. I then took out the emerald necklace, which seemed the most valuable item I owned, and offered it to Jack, who was not only my savior, but also the Captain of the ship I was on.

Unlike Anna, he did not take it. There was a bit of puzzlement in his eyes, as well as something I could not read without invading his thoughts.

"Pretending to sleep so that you could overhear us, luv?" he asked, quirking a dark eyebrow. "Aye, well, I've done the same thing, so don't look so shamed. I'd gladly accept your gift, miss, but unfortunately, I think you'll need it when we drop you off in port in a week."

Anna looked at him, aghast. "Don't be a fool, Jack! You'd leave a poor mute girl alone in Tortuga with a couple handfuls of treasure? She'd be dead in less than ten minutes, and you'd have her blood on your hands!"

Jack waved her words aside. "No, I don't plan on doing that to the poor girl! I can easily sell her goods for a good price, and set her up for life in a tiny room somewhere, all nice and tidy. See? No worries!"

The thought of being shut away somewhere, with people I did not know in a body that was unfamiliar to me, was terrifying. Surely he could not be that cruel, not after he had been kind enough to save me!

Then, strange enough, wetness began to prickle my eyes, and trails of water began to slowly fall down my cheeks. What was happening to me?

Whatever it was, it sent Jack into a panic. "Oh, no, no crying! Stop that, right now!"

Crying? Oh, I see. It's what humans did when they were sad. Mermaids did not cry, though we did feel sadness. What an unusual experience! I would have to see what else I could glean from others about human emotions.

Tears still streamed down my cheeks, and much to my surprise, Anna came to join me on the bed, her arms wrapping around me in a rather comforting fashion. As my head rested on her shoulder, I saw her throw what could only be described as a deathly glare at her Captain.

"Throwing her off the ship just because she's mute is a weak excuse, Jack," she growled at him. "Mr. Cotton is mute, or have you forgotten that little detail? And not only is he mute, but he's also a fine crewmember who doesn't cause trouble for anyone."

Her tone indicated that there had better not be another reason for him not wanting me aboard. Since it was clear he was not going to win this argument, Jack winced and sighed in resignation. "Oh, alright, she can stay," he conceded. "But she's _your_ responsibility, Anna. You will be the one to teach her some chores that will lighten the load off some of the men so that they can focus on more important things, savvy?"

My tears began to slow, though my nose was now flowing. It was rather disgusted. As though she sensed my discomfort, Anna quickly pulled out a square of cloth and ordered me to 'blow,' which I found confusing until I saw what she wanted me to do in her mind. Doing as she asked, I felt a bit better, though I could see that Jack did not.

Guessing that he had a fondness for pretty, shiny things, I again offered him the necklace. To my surprise, he shook his head and instead dumped out the contents of my satchel. I watched as he immediately snatched up the ear pieces, and the bracelet of yellow stones.

"Trust me, darling, yellow would look atrocious with your blue eyes," he explained. "I'm doing you a favor by taking these. And since your ears aren't pierced, the earrings would do you no good. These are all worth quite a good price each, and will be enough payment for you to stay onboard the Pearl –for a while at least. Sooner or later, you'll have to earn your keep, savvy? There are no free rides aboard _my_ ship!"

Nodding, I was happy to see him smile in relief. "Now, get some rest, and I'll see you in a couple days."

After Anna put away the rest of my belongings and tucked me back into bed, I was more than happy to close my eyes and do as Jack suggested, my body relaxing into the soft bedding beneath me.

* * *

Lying in his hammock, Jack took a swig from his bottle and savored the feel of the rum running down his throat. Whenever he had issues with women, rum usually helped him relax so that he could think.

And to be quite honest, the girl sleeping in his quarters was driving him mad. She was too pretty for her own good, and those blue eyes that looked at him with such innocence, fear, and desperation had pulled at far too many of his heartstrings. He shouldn't have suggested leaving her in Tortuga, as it had been unfeeling, even for him, but it was the only way he knew of saving himself from caring about the poor girl. Pirates could not afford to be tenderhearted!

Well, Anna-Maria could be soft towards another unfortunate soul, but not Jack himself. The men would think him soft, and that tends to lead to mutiny –a subject he'd rather not think about.

'_And I can't keep on calling the poor foundling 'girl' all the time, either. The lass needs a name, and since she can't tell us what it is, I should ask her to write it for me_.'

It would be just his luck if the girl couldn't read or write, but then, if the girl was mute before the storm, it's likely her parents thought her 'simple,' and not worth educating, which meant she wouldn't be able to read or write. If that was the case, he would have to rename her (with her permission, of course). But what would suit her?

He thought long and hard about that one. '_I'd call her Pearl for the ship, but that would get confusing. Well, since I found her on the shore, I'll call her Marina_.'

It was a name that meant 'from the sea,' and since that's where he found her, that's what he would call her.

Satisfied, Jack polished off the bottle in a few more swigs and settled down for a nap. Lord knows he deserved it!

* * *

AN: There's another chapter! Please be kind and review!


	5. Compassion

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean **_or_** Little Mermaid**_. Well, except the movies, a Jack Sparrow poster, a magazine with his picture, and the _**Pirates**_ soundtrack, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: Yay, another update! I'm glad that people are having fun with this story. Thanks so much to everyone who is reading, and to those who are also reviewing. Thanks again, and enjoy!

**Chapter 5: Compassion:**

For several days, I slept well, and woke with the rising of the sun. Each day, when the sun was above the horizon, Anna-Maria brought me a morning meal that resembled discolored water, with little bits of odd things floating about in it.

On the first day, I had to read her thoughts about what it was, and discovered that it was called 'soup,' which was the meal that the doctor had suggested for me. There was also a strange metal object floating in it as well. My obvious examination of the soup yielded an explanation from Anna.

"It's chicken soup with some vegetables in it. I made sure that it tasted alright, since Lord knows the men can't cook to save their lives," she said, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

To my delight, I easily understood her, her words and their meaning (even in sarcasm) falling into my ears. I hadn't expected to understand her so well, but I suppose my mental abilities were to thank for that.

Looking at the soup, I was rather touched that she had made this meal for me, but as I had no idea what a 'chicken' was, I had to gently look into her mind for an explanation. Apparently humans ate chickens, which were fat, flightless birds, and plants, which were also called vegetables. I was fond of seaweed and kelp, but the plants on the surface seemed to be so numerous, it was mind-numbing!

"Can you handle the spoon alright on your own?" Anna asked me in concern "Do you need me to help you?"

A fleeting image in her mind told me what the metal object was, and how it worked. I used the shells of mussels and clams to scoop up krill and other things from pools left on land by retreating tides, just the same way as humans used this to eat their soup,. How interesting!

Carefully gripping the long handle with my fingers, I slowly lifted a bit of the soup in the spoon and brought it to my lips. I could sense it was hot, so I took only a small sip, the way I did from clam shells.

'_Oh, goodness_!' I thought, completely in shock.

There was salt in this, I could taste it, but the rich, hearty taste of the soup was unlike anything I had ever had before. The vegetables were soft enough to fall apart on my tongue, and were delicious, glorious! Did all human food taste like this? Oh, I hope so!

Anna-Maria was delighted to see me finish the whole thing, and when I pointed at it, indicating that I wanted more –since I was rather famished- she went to fetch it for me. I managed to eat another serving of soup, and was content when the last bit was safely in my belly.

This continued on for three days, with each day's meal being soup of a different kind. At first, it was lovely to lie in bed and do nothing, but it wasn't long before I began shifting around, impatient to leave the enclosing room.

Finally – finally! – I was allowed to have a day out. After I finished my morning meal, this one of a richer, thicker soup than before, Anna eyed me closely.

"Well, that's a good sign, if I ever saw one," Anna declared as she took away the spoon and the vessel that had held the soup. "Now, are you still exhausted, or would you like a walk around the deck, to stretch your legs?"

I had been thrilled before, but now my heart fell. I had legs, but no idea how to use them. How was I going to explain that when I could not walk like they expected me to?

"Now, don't worry if your legs are a bit shaky or don't seem to work right," Anna said, as though _she_ were the one who could read minds, not me. "I'll fetch some clothes for you and we'll get you dressed so you can take a turn about the deck."

Before I could do anything, she vanished, leaving me wondering what my new legs looked like. I hadn't wanted to look at them yet, as my heart still clung to the image of my beautiful tail still somehow remaining where it should be.

I gently pulled back the blanket that covered me. Taking a good look at my legs, I was surprised to find them rather attractive. They were somewhat long, and slim, which made me nervous. How could humans stand on such things? Well, at least I would probably have a good height, which seemed promising.

Concentrating, I managed to move them a little, and smiled at the sight of my small toes moving back and forth. Well, perhaps this wouldn't be so bad…

At that moment, Anna-Maria returned, her arms loaded with the many different types of things that humans wore. "Here we are," she said, dropping them onto the bed as she started to frown at me. "You'd best not expose yourself like that ever again, young miss," she chided me. "You're lucky none of the men walked in here and caught you without much of a stitch on!"

Oh, goodness, I should have thought of that. Merfolk had no need of covering ourselves up, so I should have supposed that being seen without covering was something that wasn't done.

I looked at the light garment that covered my top half, which I had been wearing for days. Anna-Maria wore one just like mine, and it was apparently for modesty's sake –it seemed that humans did not go long without wearing something over their bodies. It also seemed that most humans didn't don hair ornaments, for the pearls in my hair had long been removed and stored away in my satchel.

'_Actually, the only human I have seen with hair ornaments is Jack_. _Gracious, I have a great deal to learn about this sort of existence_!'

"Now, you're probably not used to breeches and shirts, but they're the best thing to wear on a ship," she explained picking up one thing to show me. "Dresses and anything loose would only get tangled in the ropes, which could get you seriously injured, or even killed."

Anna gave me a close inspection with those very dark eyes of hers. "Now, let's see what fits you, hmm?"

For quite some time, I had to try on garments for my legs (or breeches), and shirts for my top half. There were also things called 'boots' that humans wore on their feet, and which I found rather uncomfortable and confining, but since they protected me from harm, I wore them, at Anna's insistence.

Unfortunately, all of this required me to stand up part of the time, and my unsteady legs caused me to clutch helplessly on any convenient object, which happened to be Anna-Maria or part of the structure known as the 'bed.' I eventually was able to stand on my own, but I knew that walking would be something else altogether.

In the end, much of what I tried on actually fit correctly –well, according to Anna. "The green suits you, as does the blue, which is good, since they aren't right for me anyway," she said, admiring me in my new garments. "I'll have the Captain send out for more things for you to wear, though, so you don't wear those out too quick."

She reached out to take my hands and pull me away from the bed, holding me steady as I tried to walk. "Now, what do you say to some fresh air? The men are on shore leave, so I can help you take a turn around the deck for a bit." Oh, that sounded interesting!

Firmly, but gently holding onto her, I focused on keeping myself balanced on two legs, and carefully moving my feet, one in front of the other. It was a sorry mimic of Anna-Maria's leg movements, but this only gave more to Anna's theory that I was simply 'weakened.'

With Anna's assistance, I was able to make my way outside, where I was able to see the place we were temporarily visiting.

I had guessed that humans lived in structures to keep safe during rough weather, but I hadn't thought that they would be this filthy, or ugly. Perhaps it was the sand, soil, and a number of other things that made the shelters look so horrible, but from the amount of equally dirty people walking about, I felt it had to be due to them merely being humans.

'_Then again, my people don't really have to worry about staying clean underwater. Perhaps it is more difficult being human than I thought_.'

The wind turned suddenly, and I caught a foul stench on it, causing me to feel ill. I'd had a decent sense of smell underwater – though not as good as a shark's – but my human nose caught things in the wind I had no names for, and honestly did not want to know about!

"That's Tortuga," Anna explained, taking me to lean against the side of the ship. "It's a pirate safe haven, which means it's dangerous for a young thing like you. Luckily, we'll be gone long before you're recovered enough to go out exploring."

The images that flashed through her head were terrifying. There was so much violence, and so many different ways to _perish_ as a mortal! Merfolk could die from accidents, or be killed by humans or sea creatures, but to think that humans would hurt their own in a myriad of different ways was terrifying. Merfolk never harmed their own, not even if it were two mermen fighting over a mate. Humans, however, seemed to want to kill one another over anything or everything.

Even worse was the fact that my rescuers were _pirates_. Although I had not seen any until now, my kind had encountered them before, and had not fared well during those meetings. Pirates were said to be some of the worst that could be found on the seas –always violent, always killing and always stealing things from ships. I had always been taught to stay away from pirates, and from all humans, because they were creatures who would kill us as soon as soon as they saw us.

But something inside me argued against that. Anna-Maria was a pirate, as was Jack, and they had both done everything in their power to keep me safe, warm, and fed here on the ship. They had given me clothing, and boots to wear on my feet, and Jack had even said I could stay here, even though I was a stranger to him.

"Ah, there you are, Anna!" a voice called. I turned to see Jack walking towards us. "Should you be out of bed?" he asked, eying me critically.

Anna sighed. "She won't get her strength back by sitting around all day, Jack. The girl needs to move about, before cabin fever sets in and drives her mad from boredom."

He frowned, but nodded. "Aye, well, the lass and I need to have a talk. A _private_ one, if you catch my drift, Anna."

The woman I now considered my ally and friend did not look pleased, but she grudgingly gave a nod of understanding. "Just don't keep her too long. She needs to get back to bed to rest."

And then I was there, alone with the Captain, who managed to somehow look rather uncomfortable, though I could not guess as to why. He took a bit of time clearing his throat and shifting from one foot to another, eyes not meeting mine as he appeared to be trying to gather his courage.

"Well, I suppose it's best to say things bluntly," he said, eyes finally looking me in the eye. "We've no notion as to what your name is, and as we can't call you 'Miss' for the rest of your days, I thought you might be able to write it out, if you can. Can you write?"

I gave him a sorrowful look. He meant those odd scribbling marks that humans made, marks that I had seen on the sides of ships, but had no idea what they meant. Perhaps someone would teach me, but now, I had no idea. I shook my head.

"Ah," Jack said, nodding his head back. "Well, then, I'm going to call you Marina. It means 'from the sea,' and since that's how I found you, that's what you'll be. What do you think?"

Oh, what a lovely name, and so fitting! Grinning, I threw myself at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek in thanks. '_Oh, his skin is so warm, and it smells of the sea_! _All signs of a true sailor_.'

As I pulled away, I saw the pleased look on his face. It was the same look mermen got whenever a mermaid paid particular close attention to them, and I began to worry that I had done something I shouldn't have. Was it wrong and against human custom to kiss someone in thanks?

"Well, that was rather nice and unexpected," he said, grinning broadly at me. "So, Marina it is. And as you know, you'll be able to stay aboard the Pearl as long as you're able to earn your way by working."

Oh, yes, the Black Pearl, the name of the ship. I nodded, signaling that I understood, and that I would happily try to do what I could.

Jack seemed satisfied with my eagerness, and reached out to gently pat my shoulder. "Well, first of all, we need a way for you to get attention when you need help, so I got you this to wear around your neck."

He held out his hand, where a silver chain dangled with a pretty little bell at the end of it. "Now, I know you'll probably think me mad for giving you this, and the crew might try to strangle one of us during the first few weeks you're using it, but it's necessary. We need to know if you need help, and this is the only way I know how, other than a whistle."

That was when he produced another object, which was, in fact, a small metal whistle. "Use the bell when you need minor help, and the whistle only in emergencies. How does that suit you?"

"It suits _me_ just fine, Captain," Anna said, coming up behind him, "But if I don't get her back to bed, she'll be exhausted later. What name did you two manage to come up with?"

"Marina," Jack said with a smile, as I nodded. "Seems to fit her, don't you think?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "It figures you'd pick a sea name for the lass. Well, _Marina_, it's back to bed with you. We can't have you overdoing it, understand?"

I nodded my agreement, and let her lead me away, though not before giving Jack a grateful smile.

* * *

There was something vaguely familiar about the girl, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it. It seemed that he had seen her somewhere before, and it was now that his memory decided to conveniently fade on him.

'_Well, I'm sure I'll remember later_,' Jack shrugged to himself.

Right now, there was a lot to do before they left port, and he had yet to explain poor Marina's presence onboard the Pearl. Not that he was worried about her –the men had accepted Mr. Cotton, and he'd had his tongue cut out!

'_Besides, she's far prettier that Cotton, and she won't have a blasted bird to mess on the ship_!'

Aye, that was true enough, but a mute girl was helpless and useless in a raid. If Marina was in Anna's hands, however, his second mate might just be the right person to teach the poor girl a few survival tricks with weaponry. After all, who better to gouge a woman's weak points than another woman?

He smiled. Things were looking up a bit already.

* * *

Though I was tired, I could not sleep. My mind was too full, fuller than it had been in decades, and what brewed inside it was of grave concern to me.

Though he had not meant for me to, I had been able to hear Jack's thoughts, for they had been rather –ahem – _loud_ and it was near impossible for me not to. His fears, his worries, and his uneasiness abounded inside his head, and I had a brief viewing of all of them.

It seemed that Jack was afraid, not _of_ me, of course, but _for_ me. I found it rather touching that he worried for my safety, and that he was doing everything in his power to make sure that I did not become hurt due to some sort of mishap on the ship.

'_And he seems to think me pretty_,' I thought, my face growing hot in embarrassment.

Well, from the other thoughts I had read in the uniqueness of his mind, it seemed that Jack felt _many_ women in the world were pretty, but it was nice that he thought me so as well. Not that he would act on that –he feared the idea of taking advantage of someone who could not speak or defend herself from his advances.

'_Though I'm quite sure that would not stop him, if he truly wanted to get my attention_.' He certainly seemed like the sort of man who liked the admiration of women.

But in spite of that, Jack was a good man. He had given me a new name, and thus, a new identity to go with this new life of mine. In my heart, I would always be Coral, but as a human, I would be Marina, a worker on the Black Pearl. There could not be a more fitting place for me to live and to earn a life than this: the ship of a man who loved and respected the sea as much as any merman did.

Oh, yes, I knew it the moment he gave me my new name. It was clear that Jack was naming me for the sea he adored, and that touched me as much as his kindness did.

Wiggling around on the bed, my gaze came to rest on the small bell and whistle that he had given me. '_He really is a good man, for all that he acts as though he doesn't want me onboard_.'

Finally giving in to my exhaustion, I closed my eyes, only to be overwhelmed by a sudden surge of guilt. It was an emotion not often felt by merfolk, but when we did, it was powerful.

Inside, my heart told me that it was wrong, listening to the thoughts of others without them knowing. My people were open with their thoughts, as it was our only means of speaking and expressing emotion, but there _were_ things we liked to keep to ourselves, and those were locked away in the dark recesses of our minds. Sadly, very few humans possessed this ability, which meant it was quite simple for me to 'hear' what others were thinking, and to use their knowledge to better adjust to their world.

But I could not intrude on them this way, not anymore. Anna was my friend, and since I wanted to make more friends among those living and serving here on the Pearl, I would have to try and restrain myself from continuing this further.

'_I will only do so if it is important_,' I promised myself. '_I will not do it for the sake of evil, or with the intent to do harm. I will only call on the thoughts of others to learn, to understand their ways, their manners, and their speech, but no more than that_.'

As I drifted off to sleep, I very much hoped to keep that oath, not only for the sake of others, but for my own as well.

* * *

AN: I know, not a lot of Jack in this chapter, but he'll appear later on, I promise! Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!


	6. A New Life Aboard Ship

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Here's another chapter! Enjoy, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 6: A New Life Aboard Ship:**

Looking at my reflection, I tilted my head back and forth, assessing Anna-Maria's work. I saw her image standing slightly behind my own, and noticed the exasperated look on her face.

"I know it isn't as grand as it was before, Marina, but it really is quite nice," she said, rolling her eyes. "Now, come along. It's time to see what you can do for work."

I managed to heave a sigh, one of the few understandable sounds I'd been able to make since the start of my curse. I was able to utter a groan in pain (or annoyance), or a grunt, but anything more than that was not within my power. Anna, however, declared it to be progress, or at least a positive sign that I was mending. It was a good thing she did not know about the curse, or else she wouldn't look so hopeful.

As of this morning, I had been aboard the Pearl for eight days, and had managed to regain most of my strength. In fact, just yesterday I had been introduced to the crew, a number of whom had returned from their time of enjoyment in town. From the looks on their faces, I knew they were surprised and upset that Jack had allowed me to remain onboard, but a few choice words from their Captain (as well as Anna-Maria) had caused them to grudgingly give way and accept my presence onboard.

Today was to be a true test for me. We had pulled out of port some time ago, and Anna-Maria had helped me move my few belongings and clothes to her own cabin, where she said I would be living from now on.

"The Captain would like to have his cabin back at some point," she teased me. "You'll be fine with me, and if needed, I can keep you safe from any teasing or tricks the men might pull on you. I can even teach you a bit about piracy while you get used to life onboard."

It was very kind of her to take me on as her charge, and I'd hugged her tightly in thanks for what she was doing for me. Anna had blushed, and gently put her arms around me to return the hug before pulling back, telling me it was time to change living quarters.

During my move, the men had watched me closely as I managed to hold onto the stack of clothes Anna had gotten for me, my new legs still becoming used to walking. Fortunately, the men believed I was trying to get used to walking on a ship at sea, so I at least had an excuse for my awkward movements.

Jack, meanwhile, had positively been bursting with happiness at getting his rooms returned to him, though he did try not to show it. "Not that I mind a lovely woman in my cabin, but I'd like it to be under different circumstances," he said with a wink that made my cheeks red with embarrassment.

An extra bed had been put together in Anna's room, as well as things called 'furniture,' so that I could store my belongings. It wasn't a large room, but then, closed spaces did not trouble me, not after I had spent centuries sleeping inside of small caves or under the outcrops of rocks. Besides, I probably would only spend my evenings here, as I would undoubtedly be working during the day.

Presently, Anna had just finished pulling my hair back into a weave so that it would remain out of my face while I worked. A strip of cloth called a 'ribbon' was woven through it, adding a touch of color to my dark locks. Anna had been correct –it wasn't as lovely as my pearls were, but it would do.

"Alright then, off to the top deck," she said, motioning me to stand and follow her. "Did you remember to put on some of that lotion? The last thing I need is for you to burn that lovely skin of yours –I mean, even more than it is now. It's already pinker than a Caribbean sunset."

Flushing, I spread a bit of the mixture onto my cheeks, nose, and forehead. Apparently my pale skin allowed me to 'burn,' a she called it, rather quickly, and so Anna had given me some of this concoction to help keep it healthy while I was out in the sun.

Satisfied, Anna nodded. "Alright then; let's go."

* * *

Stairs were still a bit difficult for me, but going up was simpler than going down, so I didn't look _too_ foolish as I followed her on deck. The men were all starting their own chores, and as I slowly trailed behind Anna-Maria, I saw that most of them were giving me doubtful looks. She merely glared at them, which sent their gazes elsewhere, at least for a little while, before they came back towards me.

"Now, these ropes all need to be tied securely together," Anna said, taking me over to several huge piles of the stuff. "I'll show you a few ways to do it correctly, so pay attention, Marina."

I sat down next to her on the smooth wood of the deck and watched closely, intent on learning without intruding on her mind. It was difficult, but I managed to keep out nearly all thoughts around me, except for the angry, confused, and frustrated ones of men around us. I knew that they disliked my being here, but I could sense that some of them felt pity for me, the Captain's foundling from the beach. Those few kind men would not openly show their understanding and willingness to help, but I knew that they would do so when the time was right.

Focusing on Anna's hands, I saw her fingers slowly and nimbly take the ends of two different ropes and fasten them together, her actual words flowing into my head as she explained why tying things one way worked, while another didn't. It was quite fascinating to watch, and to learn from.

When it came my turn to tie the rope, I slowly and carefully copied her movements, working with complete focus on the task. When I finished, I had a rope that was _close_ to what Anna had showed me, but not exact. However, she was patient with me, and showed me several more times how to do it. After some time of practicing under her watchful eye, all of my studying and hard work resulted in me finally copying her knots exactly.

"Excellent," Anna said with a nod of approval. "Normally, I'd set you straight to tying ropes, but for right now, let's see what else you can do, since we can't have you doing nothing after all the ropes that need to be knotted have been done."

Someone close by snorted, catching my attention. I turned in time to see one man jab an elbow into the side of another while a third slapped the elbowed man in the back of the head. I worried about someone becoming hurt, but Anna simply grasped my arm, pulled me to my feet, and hauled me towards the steps that led downwards, which I had to struggle to master at the speed we were going.

The place she brought me to had all sorts of odd instruments, and I was immediately confused as to what this place was. I saw blades, ranging from long to short, and all sorts of odd metal objects, some of which looked like giant bowls and others plates far larger than anything I had eaten food off of. It wasn't very tidy, but it was still in good order.

"This is the galley, which is where the meals for the crew are cooked," she explained. "It takes a lot to feed a crew two or three times a day, so we do our best to get our meals from the sea. It gets us fresh food, and keeps us from going through the supplies too fast."

I immediately felt myself straighten where I stood. If there was one thing I could help with, it was finding food in the sea!

Anna noticed that I was looking excited. "Care to help with the fishing?" she asked hesitantly. "You don't seem like the sort who would know much about fish, but why don't we go out and see what kind of catch is being brought up today?"

She hesitated. "I should probably give you something, if you're going to be working around near the nets," she said. "Wait here."

I waited patiently while she vanished out the door for several moments, and returned with my blade in her hand. Surprised, I reached out and grabbed it, holding it firmly in my right hand. The weight was heavier than I remembered, as the water of the sea no longer bolstered the heft of it, but my arms, I had learned, were stronger than a normal woman's, possibly from living in the dense water of the sea.

"It's a fantastic blade, Marina," Anna said. "It's a perfect weight and tang that runs the length of the blade, and the hilt is perfect for knocking a fellow out without being too heavy to handle. The Captain wanted to sell it, since it would fetch a good price, but I knew you would need it, if only to protect yourself with and to use on deck. Any decent sailor has a sharp blade handy, in case they need to cut a rope or tie in a hurry."

She pulled something from behind her back. "You didn't have a sheath for it, so I found one that would fit it in the armory. It'll protect it and keep it from cutting through your belt."

I smiled my thanks and watched as she tucked the knife into the sheath, then attached it to my belt. I had wanted to use my gold chain, but it was tucked away in the cabin I shared with Anna, as were the other treasures Jack had permitted me to keep. Apparently gold chain belts were not acceptable.

She nodded her satisfaction. "Done, then. Now, let's go see today's catch!"

My hands shaking slightly with nervousness, I followed her.

* * *

Hefting a net of fish aboard, Joshamee Gibbs dropped the full thing onto the deck and sighed. It was full, but the question was whether what they'd caught was eatable or not. It was his (as well as a few other men's) job to sort through stuff and decide what to throw back and what to keep to eat.

As he made ready to untangle the mess of netting, Anna-Maria appeared, her silent little shadow trailing behind her. Gibbs bit back a sigh, and merely pasted on a smile. The poor lass, whom Jack had dubbed 'Marina,' was a subject that all the men tip-toed around. If they'd had their way, the lass would have been tossed off before they'd left port -and if it hadn't been for her becoming a favorite with Anna-Maria and the Captain, that's exactly what would have happened.

Unfortunately, when Anna-Maria wanted something, she tended to get her way. Every member of the crew knew what would happen once she was angered, and they all liked having all of their limbs intact, thank you very much! Besides, the lass had washed up with a small bit of swag that Jack had sold off to purchase more supplies and new equipment for the Pearl, which they hadn't been able to afford until now.

However, the men did _not_ like having a young woman aboard, particularly when she wasn't likely to be able to earn her keep. She had soft hands, which meant she wasn't a working type, but Gibbs had noticed that they were oddly callused, which meant that she was used to doing things with her hands, but not much. It baffled him a little, but perhaps the source of those rough patches on her fingers would come to light, eventually.

"Good day to you Anna, and Miss Marina," Gibbs greeted them. "Care to see the catch of the day?"

Marina smiled excitedly and motioned for him to hurry. Puzzled, he looked over at Anna-Maria, who smiled. "Apparently she's eager to help with the sorting," Anna explained. "Since this is the most excited I've seen her yet, I figured it'd do no harm."

Shrugging, Gibbs hoisted the last of the net onboard and motioned for Marina to join him. "So, Miss Marina, our job is to make sure that nothing poisonous gets tossed into the seafood soups and stews meant for our meals. We can't risk the men getting sick, so we've got to be very careful. When you find a fish that's eatable, you toss it in one of the buckets to be gutted and prepared for later. Understand?"

She nodded and watched carefully as he untangled the net and let the contents flow onto the deck. To the shock of everyone, Marina gingerly picked up a fish with black-and-white stripes and looked at it carefully. Her blue eyes looked over the entire fish, and when she was done, she dropped it into the bucket, causing everyone to gasp.

"Marina, that was a poisonous fish," Anna said, turning pale.

Marina, however, shook her head and picked up the fish again, carefully avoiding the spines that held deadly poison. Through hand motions, she showed that, if they removed the spines and peeled back the skin, they could eat the meat inside. The men, obviously, didn't believe her, and all shook their heads at her foolishness.

Apparently frustrated with their lack of faith in her, Marina drew her knife, and, her face full of concentration, expertly removed the head of the fish, the fins, and the skin without blinking twice. She then proceeded to gut the creature, and toss the entrails overboard.

Then, as the men watched, Marina dropped delicate white meat into the bucket, looking very pleased with herself.

Gibbs swallowed as she bent and picked up another fish, which she tossed back into the sea with a shake of her head before picking up another. In no time, she had thrown back half of the catch, and the other half was either gutted right there on deck, or tossed into a bucket, whole.

Satisfied with her work, Marina washed the blade in a nearby bucket of water, shook the last droplets off of it, and tucked the knife back into its sheath. There were a few moments of silence as the crew stood and stared at her, but once Gibbs managed to bring himself back around, he cleared his throat and gathered up the empty net.

"Well, I'd best see to getting another catch, if we're going to have enough to feed the whole crew," he said, hurriedly tossing the netting overboard. "Care to help with the sorting again, Marina?"

Anna rolled her eyes. "Not now," she said, beckoning her friend over to her. "I need to show her the galley. When you're done, bring down what you've got, and we'll see what we can whip up."

Then the two women were gone, leaving the men to wonder what on earth had just happened.

* * *

"You sure showed them, Marina," Anna said, chuckling as she led me back to the galley. "Now that I know where your strength is, I'll help you learn the basics of cooking, and that'll be your task from now on."

Apparently the morning meal was whatever the crew could find, namely bread and fruit, both of which I had been exposed to by Anna-Maria. Fruit was my favorite, as it was sweet and refreshing to the senses, and somewhat reminded me of the life in the sea I had left behind. I liked vegetables, too, though they did not taste as good as fruit did. The meat and bread they served was far too heavy for me, and tended to make me feel rather tired, but I suspected that I would adjust to eating them after a while.

My friend was still talking, even though my thoughts had been elsewhere. "After Gibbs and the others haul in their catches, you'll be the one to sort them out, gut them, clean and skin them, then cook them for later on."

Luckily, I knew what cooking was –to a point. In the afternoons and evenings, while I had still been in Jack's cabin, Anna had brought me freshly caught fish, though it did not resemble the fish I normally consumed it. Apparently, humans did not eat their fish raw, so they 'cooked' it over a fire, flavored it with ground up plants called 'spices,' and ate it. I don't know why they insist on ruining the marvelous taste of fresh-caught, freshly killed fish, but I suppose that is something else I must get used to in this new life of mine.

For some time, I watched Anna as she cut vegetables and tossed them into a large object that resembled a deep bowl. After Mr. Gibbs and a few of the men brought down the fish they had cleaned and readied, she added the fish, a great deal of water, and mixed in several spices to complete it.

"There, done," she said. "We cover it with a lid, and let it sit on the stove to cook until a little after noon. The crew then helps themselves to the stew, and once they've all had their fill, you start on another batch for later. In the morning, when you're sorting through the fish up top, make sure there is enough fish for that, so the men won't need to haul up more for later. Do you understand?"

I nodded. Hopefully, my contributing to the ship would help the men to accept me. Anna smiled. "Good. Now, let's practice. I'll test you on what you know, and then, once you've got it, I'll let you go on your own tomorrow."

She picked up a vegetable and my day of learning to cook began.

* * *

After several days of practicing, I noticed that cooking was not as simple as I thought, though it seemed not to matter because the men didn't care what was served, as long as it wasn't burned or uneatable. Anna seemed to take care in her preparations, at least when it came to feeding _me_, but when it came to the men's food, she did not seem to use much effort. All she did was make sure the food was modestly prepared, but no more than that.

Whenever I attempted to serve myself, she added a bit of spice to my bowl, as well as her own. "For flavor," she always explained to me. The images and feelings flowing through her mind were loud enough for me to hear, a clear message that the men were simple fellows when it came to the food served on the ship. The only time they expected truly well-made food was on land, where the people who cooked for a living took their task seriously.

This proved quite helpful to me, as I chose to try and make food they would like, and hopefully win them over by proving I could work hard.

Observing Anna very carefully, I learned where she stored the spices she added to the stews and soups, and what they tasted and smelled like. It was astounding how just a little bit of the correct spice mixed with the right fish could make my mouth feel so delightful, and I hoped that using that technique would help the men feel the same way whenever they ate what I prepared.

Which was why, whenever Anna left me alone in the kitchen after we had prepared the day's afternoon and evening meals, I added just a touch of the spices I thought would make things taste nice.

For a week I did this, without being found out. I think Anna suspected what I was doing, since she gave me knowing looks after she had helped herself to the bubbling pot, but she never said anything. The men never seemed to notice either –they did appear to enjoy their food a bit more, and seemed a bit happier, but perhaps it was just my mind playing tricks on me. After all, if they liked the food, wouldn't they have said something to me, or to Anna?

Well, sooner or later, my new methods would be found out, but for now, I liked the fact that I was making a quiet change that appeared to be making a positive influence on the men.

* * *

Exhausted from a morning at the helm, Jack made his way to the galley, his stomach rumbling. Breakfast had been fruit, some raw vegetables, and a bit of hard tack, all of which had worn off long ago. It was time to see what his fine little chef had come up with for lunch.

To his relief, Marina (or Rina, as the men had taken to secretly calling her) had managed to find something she was good at, namely sorting through everything Gibbs and his men caught in their nets so that no one was poisoned by their lunch.

Because she was better than anyone onboard at this, Marina had been somewhat accepted by the crew, and they no longer resented the poor thing –at least, they didn't resent her as much as before. Had Marina been unable to do _anything_ aboard, Jack would have been forced to leave the mute girl at the nearest port, and that would be a horror to someone who couldn't talk or defend herself. As it was, Anna had set her up in the galley, freeing any of the men from cooking. This, in turn, gave Jack back his second mate, who was presently lecturing a crewman for being lax with his work, and allowed Marina to earn her own way aboard.

Now, Jack was a man who enjoyed variety in life, and most would have thought him incapable of eating seafood stew nearly every day, a diet that saved them from going through the supplies too quickly. But since the sea was full of hundreds (if not thousands) of kinds of eatable fish and creatures, the stew rarely contained the exact same mixture twice. And with Anna seasoning the food, the taste and texture was often different as well.

Over the past two weeks, however, he had noticed that the food had slowly begun to change. Not that it was _bad_ –it was just different from the usual grub that came out of the kitchen. Anna sometimes mixed things up a bit, but not more than once a week.

Anna, however, hadn't been alone in the kitchen for a while now, but he wouldn't put the blame on Marina, was probably still as unskilled in cooking as Mr. Cotton's parrot.

'_I wouldn't put it past Anna to slip into the galley for a bit of trickery with the spices_.'

Marina would have no choice but to let Anna do what she wanted to the food, seeing as the girl was helpless against anything the determined female pirate might throw at her. The gradual change in food might be his second mate's attempt to get the crew to eat whatever she thought of as 'new and different' –Lord knows how often he heard Anna complain that she wanted to change their daily food regime.

'_Oh, well; as long as it doesn't poison anyone, I suppose I can let whatever's being done in the galley keep going_,' Jack shrugged. '_It's not as if the men are complaining or anything_.' Actually, whatever was being done to the meals was lifting morale, which was a blessing to any captain.

Humming his favorite tune, he sauntered into the galley just in time to see Marina sprinkle a few pinches of spice into the pot of bubbling soup. His jaw dropped in shock as she stirred, tasted, looked doubtful for a moment, and tossed a few pinches of another spice into the simmering broth.

"_Marina_?" he drawled, not sure if he was hallucinating or not.

She started, but smiled when she saw who had come in. As he made his way to the stove, Jack looked into the boiling mass and sniffed. Hmm, it actually smelled rather good! His stomach growled its impatience to be fed, which set Marina to laughing. Well, she couldn't exactly _laugh_, but he was glad to see her smile –she hadn't done much of that in the time since he'd found her.

Apparently taking pity on her hungry Captain, she handed him a spoon and a bowl, and motioned for him to help himself, which he gladly did. Using the giant ladle, he poured a generous serving into his bowl and went to sit at a small table on the far side of the galley, watching her carefully as she proceeded to begin yet another pot of stew, this one for tonight's supper.

With a dip of his spoon, Jack took a sip of broth, and nearly choked. Marina whirled around, concern and fear on her face. He quickly swallowed the broth in his mouth, and smiled, coughing lightly as he did so.

"No worries, Rina," he wheezed. "It just surprised me." He smiled at her confusion. "The soup is much tastier than what we usually have aboard, that's all. To be honest, it's one of the better soups I've had in a while. Anna-Maria and the others just don't care about cooking anymore, but you obviously do. I think you'll work out just fine."

She smiled and blushed, her pale skin turning a charming rosy-pink. Nodding her thanks, she turned back to her work as Jack finished his meal, the taste of saffron, pepper, and hot chili flakes dancing on his tongue. It was spicy, but not too much so, giving it just the right amount of fire.

When the last spoonful was consumed, he put it and the bowl in the sink. "You haven't been doing dishes as well, have you, Rina?" Jack asked. "Cooking is hard enough; one of the men should be cleaning up after."

Marina smiled and shook her head as she mimicked a man with impressive hair running along the sides of his face. Ah, so Gibbs was helping the little thing out, hmm? Well, if his superstitious first mate could be won over, then the others were sure to follow.

"Excellent," Jack declared, nodding. "By the way, you don't mind if the men call you Rina, do you? Marina is pretty and all, but it would keep the others from mixing and confusing your name with Anna-Maria's."

Again, Marina shook her head, but motioned towards him, seeming to ask what he wanted to call her. "I rather like your full name, but I'll probably use your nickname once in a while," he decided. "That's alright with you, isn't it?"

He received her silent permission, and turned to leave the galley, feeling very pleased with himself and with his charmingly enterprising little cook.

* * *

AN: Whew, long chapter this week! I hope that everyone enjoyed themselves and will review. Thanks!


	7. Acceptance, Fear, and Disappointments

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Here's another chapter, and a slightly longer one, too! Thanks so much for reading, and please review!

**Chapter 7: Acceptance, Fear, and Disappointments:**

They would never admit it, but the crewmen of the Black Pearl were becoming rather fond – or at least, relatively tolerant – of their Captain's shipwrecked foundling.

In their experience, women in general were not suited to life at sea. They would never say that in front of Anna-Maria, of course –but then, she was an exception to the rule, and had earned her place as Jack's second mate. She could fight, give orders, and keep the men in line, all without going into hysterics or panic. Her temper was legendary, and her reputation as a hard woman brought not only respect, but a touch of fear from those who served with her, which she used to her advantage. She was a true pirate, and as such, the men obeyed her as they did Gibbs and their Captain.

Having a second female aboard, however, disturbed the Pearl's rather delicate balance of power. Marina (or Rina, as the men now called her) had no experience with ships, hard work, or fighting, which made her rather useless to them.

But worst of all, not only was she mute and female, but she was also attractive. As the men all knew, those without the ability to speak could come to serious harm in dangerous situations, and as she was pretty and a woman, it was like dangling an impressive bit of treasure in front of their eyes.

Much to their relief, it wasn't long before a solution was created for each of those problems.

Anna-Maria was quick to claim that the girl was under her protection, and if anyone dared lay an unwelcome finger on her, the man who did so would lose not only the finger, but the hand attached to it. _That_ quickly quelled any of their desires towards the pretty young thing.

And it was a very short time before Marina began proving her worth onboard. After showing off her knowledge of eatable sea creatures, Rina had promptly been put to work in the galley, where she managed to produce food that not only tasted good, but also didn't cause any illnesses. It also kept her out of their sight, and therefore, out of mind.

But what had fully won the men over was that Marina had begun teaching them the differences between fish that could kill, and fish that could _be_ killed.

Before Rina's arrival, illness from eating fish had been somewhat of a gamble on their health, as the men had no idea if some of what they were eating was poisonous or not. As a native of the Caribbean, Anna-Maria had done her best in combing through the day's catches, but if those who did the main fishing and sorting guessed wrongly, and Anna didn't catch their mistake, then it was a good chance that a number of the crew would be down with upset stomachs, or worse.

Now, there were fewer worries about death-by-supper. After several days of intense instruction, Marina had managed to teach every man who wanted to learn about the fish brought up in the nets. She showed what was good to eat, what was poisonous, and how to turn even a poisonous fish into an eatable meal –with a little careful trimming of the correct body parts. The men were amazed at her knowledge, and as she had shown to never be wrong, they respected her and her abilities.

With the threat of food poisoning no longer looming over their shoulders, the men were able to enjoy their meals, and get their work done without having to worry about their guts turning inside out on them. This quickly caused them to make a small bit of room in their pirate hearts for the mute girl, who was very much proving her worth.

Currently, the only problem they had with the poor thing was her inability to speak or make much noise. She could make a few sounds, but nothing in the way of speech, and the only way anyone knew she was coming was the sound of her boots on the wooden deck. Jack had provided a whistle and a bell for her to carry, but she disliked using them. Gibbs hazarded a guess that perhaps Marina thought the noise would be too distracting, and did not wish to annoy anybody, so these little noise instruments had been tucked away where they couldn't be heard.

For the most part, the men appreciated the gesture, but her uncommon quietness made it hard for them to know she was there. If it weren't for the fact that she was still trying to get her 'sea legs,' they would never hear her coming up behind them. Luckily, Marina spent most of her time below deck in the galley, out of harm's way.

That was a good thing, because at the start of her fourth week on the Pearl, a man in the crow's nest spotted a merchant vessel, ripe for the picking.

* * *

"Stay here below, Rina," Anna had told me firmly, before she locked me inside our cabin. "The men have spotted a merchant vessel, and we're eager to do some plundering. It's the slow season for merchants and trade ships, so we're going to take this one while we can. After all, we have to make a living, too!"

Her face serious, she motioned towards my knife. "Things are bound to get dangerous up above, and with you unable to defend yourself, or to even scream for help, you'll have to stay here, where it's relatively safe. Keep the door locked, and if anyone breaks through, kill them before they kill you. Do you understand?"

Without waiting for me to reply, she shut the door and locked it, leaving me alone.

Well, that would certainly explain a great deal. Even in the galley, I could sense that the men were frustrated and in desperate need of some piracy. Their thoughts had been so loud that I didn't have to read them – apparently, they felt that Jack had purposely been avoiding confrontation in order to spare me, even if, deep inside, they all knew that it was, the "slow" season for raiding.

When the shout had gone up, and the crew had excitedly begun running around, I had been afraid that something bad had happened. Then Anna had appeared at the galley's doorway and pulled me towards our cabin, where I was now locked in, my hands toying with my thick braid of hair. Part of me was happy to be where it was safe, but another part feared for the others and what might happen to them.

Finally, as my anxiety began to get the better of me, I lay down on the bed, picking up an object Anna had called a "book." Apparently humans used 'writing' in order to keep track of stories and information, so that they or other people could 'read' it and learn things. It was rather fascinating, and I had longed to learn how to decipher the different symbols, but knew I could not ask Anna to teach me –she did not have the time, when she worked so hard, and neither did any of the men, who were still a bit wary of me.

In the end, I had taken to gently going through Anna's mind whenever she read to herself, and learned to put meanings to symbols (called 'letters' and 'numbers') that way. I had to be careful while doing this, but over the past few days, I had been able to put a few words together. I could not wait until I was able to read an entire book on my own!

A tremendous loud noise suddenly rang through the ship, causing me to jump. It was a horrible sound, and not long afterwards, the Pearl rocked to the side, nearly sending me falling to the floor. Soon, it was followed by shouts, and of weapons clashing violently together. My heart leapt into my throat, and I immediately drew my knife, ready in case someone should break in. To keep myself from going mad from anxiety, I closed my eyes tightly, drowning out all thoughts except my own.

For many terrifying minutes, I sat there, my fingers turning white from clutching my blade so tightly. Slowly, slowly, the sounds of fighting faded away, and only when they were replaced with cheers and shouts of joy did I feel the knot in my stomach loosen.

At last, at last, there were footsteps outside the door. "It's me, Marina!" called a voice, causing me to almost faint in relief. It was Anna-Maria, and from what I could read of her thoughts, she was practically humming with satisfaction and happiness as she unlocked the door.

"Well, it's over," she said, stepping into the cabin. "We've got a nice pile of swag for our troubles, too, so I expect the men to be breaking out the rum and causing a ruckus tonight with their singing and such."

I had no idea what she was speaking of, so I merely smiled and nodded, which seemed the right thing to do. Anna returned my smile and produced a small pouch, which she handed to me.

"This is your share," she explained to my puzzled expression. "Everyone gets a bit of the stuff we take during a pillage, and this is yours. You've worked hard, Marina, and everyone knows that. Take it and then you can spend it or put it away for the future, it's your choice."

Gingerly taking the small bag, I carefully pried the top open and peeked inside. There was a pile of small, round metal objects in gold and silver. Oh! Money! I had seen a few men counting it out once, and a quick glance at their minds told me that money was exchanged for things a person wanted. I had seen piles of it inside of ships before, but since they weren't wearable, like jewelry, I had thought it unimportant. I knew better now.

I smiled my thanks at her, and went to carefully tuck it into the chest that held my other possessions. Anna nodded her approval. "Come on, the Captain has asked that I boil up some crabs and lobsters for tonight. The men are having a fine time catching them in the nets, and since all of us going to partake of those, all at the same time, you and I both have to get to work."

Nodding, I followed her, eager to get to work.

* * *

I had never heard human music before today, and I was amazed at how much it made me want to join the men in jumping around the deck, swinging their arms and legs around as they celebrated. Seated beside me, Anna had asked me if I wanted to join the 'dancing,' and it took a little while for me to realize that 'dancing' was what the men were doing in accordance with the music. It actually looked rather fun, but since I was still worried about keeping my balance on legs, I shook my head.

'_Walking is one thing; dancing, jumping and other movements are another_!' I was fortunate that the crew thought my clumsiness was due to my being washed ashore, so my unsteady movements were looked on with pity, rather than as an oddity.

Instead of dancing, I watched the food being passed around. I recognized most of what was being served, such as bread, salted meat, fruits and vegetables, but there was something new that I hadn't seen before. It looked tasty, and since the men were actively indulging in it, I thought that perhaps I ought to try it.

"Would you like some cheese, Rina?" Anna asked, taking a piece from a passing Mr. Gibbs. "We didn't get any in Tortuga, since their cheese is rancid half the time, but the merchant vessel we raided had plenty of the good stuff. Here."

I tentatively accepted the offering and looked it over. The outside was grey, lightly dusted with white, and the inside a white faintly tinted with yellow. The whole thing was soft, however, and when I took a small bite, the cheese seemed to melt on my tongue, salty-sweet and absolutely marvelous.

'_Oh, how lovely_,' I thought dreamily.

"It goes better with the meat and hardtack we've got," Anna commented, taking a bit of hardtack and coating it with the soft cheese, before dropping some of the salted meat on top. "Here, try this."

I did, and nearly fell off of the barrel I was sitting on. It truly astounded me with how humans could produce such wonderful food and combine it to create even more marvelous things to eat.

When my belly was full, I turned my eyes to the dancing, though my thoughts had turned elsewhere. In the back of my mind, I had the sudden revelation of how alike merfolk and pirates were.

Both my (former) people and pirates loved treasure, even if they obtained it in slightly different ways. Pirates lived on taking treasure from other ships; merfolk took treasure from sunken ships. Most pirates killed for survival, while others were merely savage in their kills; some mermaids killed humans in order to protect our people and our secret existence safe, while others killed out of anger and hatred.

'_Perhaps we aren't so different after all_,' I thought, grinning as one man linked arms with another and the two swung each other around in an absurd circle.

Just then, the music changed tempo and became much slower. When it did, someone came up to my side and tapped my shoulder. Turning, I was surprised to see Jack standing there, a smile on his handsome face. "Care to dance, Rina?" he asked, offering a hand.

Swallowing nervously, I shook my head. There was no possible way for me to dance without causing trouble.

But Jack would not accept a refusal, so I found myself pulled to my feet and dragged out to the deck, where he took me by the waist with one hand, while keeping hold of the other. My entire body stiffened. This was not comfortable to me.

"Relax, luv," Jack said. "Follow my lead and move with the rhythm of the music."

That was simple for him to say! My people had nothing like this kind of music, and as for dancing –it was hard to dance when you'd once had no legs!

Unfortunately, I had no choice, as he began to gently move us about the deck. My cheeks grew warm as I did my best to focus on his steps and to mirror them. I knew I was clumsy, and as I did not wish to look foolish in front of the crew, I resorted to brushing Jack's mind with my own, my feet slowly finding the steps as Jack led me in the dance.

After a short while, I realized that I was actually having _fun_ dancing. It was fun to move my feet in steps that went with the music being made, and Jack was proving to be a rather amusing teacher. He whispered how well I was doing, and that I had a good sense of rhythm, unlike a few of his crewmen. If I could laugh, I would have, but instead I settled for smiling at him as the song came to an end.

"Well done, Marina," Jack said, releasing me from his hold. "And my thanks for a lovely little waltz. Now, Marty, play something lively so that this lass knows how pirates celebrate success!"

The small man, Marty, began playing a fast rhythm, and as Anna pulled me to sit beside her, several of the men gathered to clap, dance, and sing a song about pirates. As they sang, I began to clap along with them, joining in the lightheartedness until long after the sun went down.

* * *

I spent that entire evening watching the men at their dancing and games, refusing any more attempts to get me to join them. I wasn't very good at dancing, so I chose to sit with Anna and watch until my eyes grew heavy and my body cried for sleep.

Dawn came, and it was a quiet one. Anna had explained to me before we went to bed that, after a gathering such as last night, the crew tended to sleep late and that there would be no need to prepare lunch or supper.

"Just leave out some cold food from last night," she said as we blew the candles out. "No need to put effort into anything when you know they probably won't be able to stomach it later."

I had to gently probe her mind about why that was, and discovered that pirates frequently indulged in something called 'alcohol,' which if they drank too much, tended to leave them ill the next day. I wondered why they drank something that could make them sick, but decided to let it lie, and swear to never drink it myself.

This was why, after a morning of laying out cold crabs and lobsters, as well as hardtack and cheese, I went onto the deck and wondered at the emptiness of it. The only person I could see was Mr. Cotton, who smiled at me from his place at the helm. Like me, he was mute, and had the most darling bird on his shoulder. I often fed it, and it seemed to like the attention I gave it. Sometimes, it even said things to me, which I found funny.

It might seem odd, but my muteness did not cause me much trouble here aboard the Pearl. On my infrequent visits above deck, the men did their best to treat me as they would any other person, and often asked me questions or for my opinion about something. They were even kind enough to phrase their words so that it merely required a 'yes' or 'no' from me, which I could easily communicate through a nod or shake of the head.

But even though they were becoming more accepting of me, none of them attempted to become my friend. Thus far, only Anna was my friend, and it tore my heart to know that the men might never want to become more than fellow workers on the Pearl.

My spirited dampened by these sad thoughts, I walked towards the front of the ship, which had a partition that hid me from sight. It was a good place to go when one wanted to be alone, and since nearly everyone would not be waking for quite some time, I would have no one to witness what I was about to do.

Since I had become human, I had kept all of my efforts focused on the humans around me, and ignoring anything below the surface of the sea. Today was my only chance to try and remedy that.

And so, looking over the railing, I closed my eyes and opened my mind. My thoughts immediately delved into the depths of the water below, seeking out the lives that called the sea their home.

A cacophony of familiar 'noise' filled my head, but it was all blissfully familiar. As my people were mind readers, we learned from a young age to close off the mental 'noise' that all creatures tended to give off. That skill eventually became instinctive, and for the most part, the mental wall we put around our inner selves became rooted in place and could only be removed when we chose to do so.

Now I relished hearing the thoughts of dolphins, sharks, fish, eels, and even crabs. The sophistication of their minds varied, but they all blended together perfectly in my own, greatly easing the longing I had in my heart to return to the sea.

I swallowed harshly, trying to fight the urge to weep. I missed the water so much! I wanted to dive into the waves and swim with the dolphins, or go hunting for food with sharks. My body longed to be suspended in the water, to go wherever I pleased and not be confined to the vessel that now rose and fell beneath my feet.

'_It is truly a miracle that I haven't lost my mind after being in such a limited space for so long_.'

Of course, I _had_ been trying to find a place for myself here aboard the Pearl, and with both my mind and my hands occupied with work and learning, it had been difficult to miss my old life.

A sigh escaped my lips, one of the few noises that came from my throat. Oh, how I longed to talk and laugh, just like everyone else!

"Enjoying the view, Marina?" drawled a voice behind me. I turned, smiling as Jack came to join me. "It's quite a pretty day, isn't it?"

I hadn't noticed it much, but now that he mentioned it, the day was quite nice. There were few clouds in the sky, and the sun was shining brightly on us as we watched the waves go by. I had grown to like having the sun on me all the time, though it had caused my skin to turn red and painful my first few days aboard. I was better now, and had healed. Anna said my skin was a bit darker from the sun, but that was alright. As far as I was concerned, it marked me as a sailor and member of the crew.

"Well, with all the swag we've gotten from this raid of ours, we'll be making port soon," Jack said, with a smile in my direction. "I'll make sure that Gibbs gets more for you and Anna-Maria to work with down in the galley. I don't doubt that the men will want a bit of variety before long, and we need more meat, not to mention fruits and vegetables to keep off scurvy. Not a nice illness, scurvy."

I nodded politely, since it was the only way I could respond. That was when he turned serious, his dark eyes looking apologetic as he spoke. "Rina, I'm sorry I have to do this to you, but I can't risk your safety by taking you into town."

He must have seen the sadness and disappointment in my face, because he rushed forward with an explanation. "I know you must have been excited to get off the ship, but a pirate port is no place for a young woman in your…situation. I can't risk you getting hurt or killed, especially when you can't fight back or scream for help. I promise, though, that as soon as Anna and Gibbs have you trained up on fighting, I'll let you on shore like all the others. For now, however, you'll have to remain on the Pearl, or take extremely short visits to the dock to stretch your legs. Savvy?"

Those were all perfectly good reasons for me to stay here, but I had been excited at the prospect of seeing and exploring a human town. Still, Jack was right to want to keep me safe, and so I nodded, my head tilted down as I did my best to hide my mournful expression.

A gentle hand came to rest on my chin, forcing me to look up in kind brown eyes lined with black. "I promise, I'll find a way to get you onto land, at least for a little while, Rina," Jack softly whispered. "But, for now at least, promise that you won't go anywhere unless you have someone with you."

Forcing a smile onto my face, I nodded. My apparent surrender to his logic seemed to satisfy him, because he gently released my chin. "Thank you, Rina. And since you've given me peace of mind, I swear on pain of death that I shall bring you a little trinket from town. How about that?"

As though a small gift could stand in place of the enjoyment I would get exploring a town! Well, as long as he swore that I would be able to walk on land for at least a little while, I suppose I could be content with that.

I gave him a genuine smile as I stepped forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek in thanks. The skin beneath my lips was warm from the sun, and scratchy with his whiskers, but still rather soft. It was as it had been before, when I had kissed him in thanks for my new name. And as before, I found it rather pleasant.

When I pulled away, I immediately turned and headed back to the galley, my stomach begging for something to eat before I returned to bed for a bit of extra rest.

* * *

He felt terrible for depriving Marina of a bit of shore-leave, but Jack could not bear the thought of her getting hurt. Sweet little thing that she was, she was bound to get captured by someone who could do her serious harm. He'd seen her hurt and vulnerable before and never wanted to see her like that again.

'_I'll bring her back something nice, to make it up to her. And I'll have Anna take her on a short walk along the docks so she can stretch her legs and not feel confined, or get cabin fever_.'

Alright, it wasn't much, but it would have to do, for now. As soon as she was able to skillfully handle a weapon, Marina could join them on a jaunt into the port. But as things stood, she was much safer aboard the Pearl, where someone could keep an eye on her.

His anxiousness soothed, Jack turned towards the helm to relieve Mr. Cotton of his task. It was time to make for port.

* * *

AN: Review?


	8. Growing Friendships

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean **_or_** Little Mermaid**_. Well, except the movies, a Jack Sparrow poster, a magazine with his picture, and the _**Pirates**_ soundtrack, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: Here's the next chapter! Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 8: Growing Friendships:**

A few days after Jack's decision to keep me ship-bound, we made port. Once again, I was able to observe a human town, except this time, I was healthy and alert. It was rather exciting, watching the crew scuttle about as Jack yelled orders from the helm, and Gibbs yelled insults to anyone who ran by him.

As we pulled up to the docks, I took a closer view of the town and decided that perhaps staying aboard wouldn't be so bad. The scents that met my nose were alternatively fascinating and revolting, while the sounds of human voices arguing and shouting left me with the feeling that Jack might be right about staying here, where it was safe.

Unfortunately, that feeling didn't last very long.

* * *

It was horrible, being stuck on the Pearl while everyone else went to enjoy themselves. I watched with an acute sense of longing as the men all drifted away, leaving me with just Anna-Maria for company.

And I could tell that she wasn't happy about having to stay here with me.

Not long after we pulled into port and Jack handed each of the men their funds to spend in town, Anna-Maria came to join me in our shared cabin, a stormy look on her face.

"Of all the foolish things for our Captain to do," she growled, eyes flashing as she paced the cabin. "I don't see why that daft man has to chain us to the ship like this. You may not be able to defend yourself, but I could keep you safe enough, at least in broad daylight! Seems like he's trying to say something about my fighting skills, particularly when it comes to keeping you out of harm's way!"

I knew that wasn't true, and tried to gesture that to her, but Anna merely smiled and said she was joking…well, sort of.

"I just don't like the idea of you being cooped up here day and night," she explained. "You need to get out and _live_, not be sheltered like some noblewoman who can't think or function beyond the walls of her house!"

Sadly, Jack did not agree with her, and since I was ordered to remain on the Pearl, I was forced to amuse myself with only Anna for company. This would not be so bad, if it weren't for the fact that we would be staying in port for a whole _seven days_. In the end, we both decided to make the best of it, and amuse ourselves as best we could.

Today, our first day in port, Anna decided we needed to clean up the galley and organize it properly, making it ready for the new supplies Jack would be buying for our next journey. All the pots, pans, plates, utensils, and tools were scrubbed till they shone, and the supplies remaining were taking note of so that Anna could inform Jack or Gibbs of what we needed. Anything that looked as though it would fall apart was tossed aside as trash –or, if it was metal, was to be sold to the blacksmith for coins.

By the time we finished, it was late in the afternoon, almost early evening, and we were exhausted to the point of merely eating something light for supper and going straight to bed.

On the morning of our second day in port, things started to look a bit more interesting…

* * *

This morning, as soon as the men were gone and we were dressed for the day, Anna forbade me from having breakfast, handed me my knife, and told me to tuck it into my belt. _That_ was when she declared that we would be taking a trip to the shore.

"It'd be good for you to feel the sand underfoot and to stretch your legs a bit," she said, smirking. "Cotton can watch the ship, and what the Captain doesn't know won't hurt him. Besides, he wants you to get off the Pearl once and a while, aye?"

Well, she was right about that. And I _was_ rather excited to be stepping off the ship, so why not?

With my knife firmly tucked into my belt, and Anna at my side, I felt perfectly safe as we descended to the docks, which were bustling and loud. Anna told me it was because ships needed to be loaded with goods and ready to head off with the tide, but I was amazed at how crowded and loud everything was.

'_It's so __**different**__ from my old world_!' I couldn't help thinking as Anna linked her arm with mine. This was because I rarely saw many of my people as I explored the seas. Inside, I was too restless, and tended to explore, rather than stay in one of the more inhabited areas.

Here, people were _everywhere_. My ears were filled with their laughter, talk, shouts, cries, and a hundred other sounds I felt I should recognize, but didn't. By the time we were away from the docks, my head was spinning.

"Whew! Time to get to the beach," Anna said as she guided me through the crowds. "It's more peaceful there, and we'll get something to eat along the way."

Food sounded wonderful, and my stomach very much agreed. Fortunately, Anna found a seller of cooked fish near a quiet spot along the beach. The fish was warm, not hot, but it was moist and had been cooked in some variety of spices that left my tongue dancing in delight. Anna and I ate with our fingers, and tossed the remains into the sea, where birds and other animals waited to gather the scraps.

After our meal, Anna took me on a lengthy walk along the sand, where she pointed out parts of the town to me. It wasn't a very big place, she told me, but I didn't care –it was nice to learn a bit about humans and the places where they lived.

"We don't often visit Georgetown, since it's out-of-the-way and is so small, but Jack wanted to get some things we used up in the raid," she explained as we walked. "I'm hoping that he gets some decent spices for the food, or else the men are going to be bored with their meals pretty damn quick!"

As we walked, Anna would stoop once and a while to pick up a pretty shell or two, which she then presented to me as keepsakes to 'remember' this stop by. She suggested that I make it into jewelry or decorations of some kind, which I thought an odd idea. Merfolk disliked using shells for anything except tools or eating utensils –why should we decorate ourselves with the husks of dead creatures when we had the treasures of sunken ships at our disposal?

Still, some of the shells _were_ quite lovely, especially the ones Anna called 'mother-of-pearl,' so I chose to keep them and maybe follow her advice –someday, when I had the skill to do so, I might try to craft something out of them.

To my disappointment, our small visit to the sand was short –Anna wanted to return before we were discovered having left. "Mr. Cotton won't tell anyone, no pun intended," she said, "But we don't want the Captain to suddenly come back and see that we aren't there."

Reluctantly nodding my agreement, I followed her back to the ship.

* * *

To my disappointment, our afternoon was not as thrilling as the morning had been. The food and galley supplies had arrived in our absence, and Anna had to check that everything was in order. She sent me on my way back to the top deck, a bit of bread and cold meat in my hands to occupy my hands and time. It was there that I proceeded to pace about and eat until someone called out to me.

"Afternoon, Rina!" greeted a friendly voice I recognized.

It was Mr. Gibbs, who greeted me with a friendly nod and smile. Like the others, he had been weary of me joining the crew, and had avoided me for quite some time. Anna claimed that most sailors were superstitious, meaning that they had many odd beliefs, and one of those beliefs was that women shouldn't be aboard ships.

However, in the past week or so, he had softened a bit towards my presence. I think, after hearing of Jack's restrictions on me, he must have felt sorry for my situation, and that softened his resolve. He now seemed almost happy to see me, which was far better than the avoidance I had normally experienced.

"Captain sent me to keep you and Anna company," he said, sitting on a nearby barrel, a large cloth sack in his hands. "Ordered me to show up with something special for lunch, too."

He motioned towards a barrel next to him, indicating that I should sit as he rolled another barrel over to act as a table. Watching eagerly, I shifted in my seat as he settled our makeshift table and retrieved the sack. He then began pulling all sorts of lovely-smelling things out of it.

"Roasted chicken, baked potatoes, and a nice custard for dessert," Gibbs said as he pulled out dishes and placed them on the barrel that would serve as our table. "Now, why don't I find us some plates to serve them up on?"

As he disappeared down into the galley, I turned my attention to the food. The first time I had eaten a bird was in the soup Anna had served me during my recovery, but I hadn't had any since then. Now, as I looked at the food that lay before me, I was excited for the different flavors that I would soon experience.

Mr. Gibbs soon returned with plates, forks, knives and spoons, as well as a smiling Anna-Maria, who followed close behind. "As soon as he said there was a chicken and a custard involved, I knew there was no way for me to pass this up!" she exclaimed as she pulled up a barrel to join us.

Soon, portions had been served, and even though I longed to stuff my mouth and my stomach with the delicious feast, I made sure to restrain myself, if only to savor the flavors that melted and blended together on my tongue.

Gibbs had served me the tenderest part of the chicken, which I much appreciated, as it was juicy, hearty, and a delight to eat. The potatoes were served with cheese that had been stuffed into them, as well as something that made my mouth feel hot. Wonderful!

Finally, the custard was served, and after my first spoonful, I felt my eyes glaze in bliss. The fruits I had eaten aboard the Pearl had been sweet, but this was ambrosia.

"I think Marina likes the custard," Anna teased as she ate her share. "Go on, Rina, finish that up, we've got work to do!"

Gibbs chuckled as I came to my senses and blushed. I chose to ignore their amusement so that I could finish the detectible concoction that melted on my tongue and left a slightly fruity taste in my mouth.

When we had eaten the last bite of our meal, Anna returned to the galley to finish her task, while Gibbs and I cleaned up the mess we had made while eating. It didn't take long for the two of us to finish, so that left us alone with nothing to do.

"You know, Rina, I don't think I've told you any of the stories about our Captain," Gibbs said, retaking his seat. "There are a lot of them floating about, and he's very well-known in the pirating world. Why don't I tell you a few, aye?"

Oh, stories! I did so love a good story! As a mermaid, I had "shared" stories with others by linking my thoughts with theirs so that I might experience their adventures and tales, and learn new ideas and skills from them.

Human storytelling would be much different, but I didn't think I would mind, as long as it was entertaining. Mr. Gibbs seemed like the sort of man who could tell an intriguing tale, and I very much looked forward to hearing one from him.

Settling down on my barrel, I leaned forward as he began.

* * *

Sauntering up the gangplank, Jack arrived on deck in time to hear 'sea turtles' coming out of Gibbs's mouth.

'_Oh, no_,' he thought with an inward groan.

It happened to be a favorite story of his first mate, and he always told it whenever he had an audience. Jack didn't mind that the legend of his escape from that wretched island was being told –he just hated it when it wasn't him telling the story. It sounded much better when Jack himself did the storytelling, and though he did embellish things, he at least get anything wrong, like add things that didn't belong in the story.

'_I wonder what poor sap he hooked into listening to it this time_? _Hopefully not any of the sailors or wenches from the town_!'

When he saw who else was on deck, he almost groaned out loud. '_Oh, no_; _poor Rina_!'

It was bad enough that the poor girl couldn't talk herself out of a situation like this –now she was pressed into listening to Gibbs's chatter, and couldn't squirm her way out of it.

Sighing, Jack slipped up behind her as Gibbs wound the tale to a close, ready to pull the poor girl away before the older man delved into another one. To his surprise, Marina began _applauding_, and it seemed as though she had genuinely enjoyed the story!

Jack couldn't be more surprised. Not only had Marina liked it, she was gesturing for Gibbs to tell another. Most folk couldn't withstand one of his tales, much less ask for an encore.

"Captain!" Gibbs exclaimed, straightening on the barrel that was his seat. "Didn't expect you here so soon, sir. Back on business?"

Jack, however, wasn't looking at him; he was looking at Marina. "Luv, I hope you aren't being bored to tears by this sailor's tales of the seas?"

She merely smiled and shook her head. Using gestures, Marina indicated that she liked hearing Mr. Gibbs talk, and wanted to hear more. As for the storyteller himself, Gibbs looked thrilled to have someone who wanted to hear him talk, for a change.

And for the first time in his life, Jack found himself growing jealous of his first mate.

Biting back a scowl, Jack instead plastered on a false smile and looked at Marina's happy face. "Well, then, when Gibbs finally lets you go, Rina, you'll have to stop by my cabin and let _me_ regale you with tales of my adventures at sea. I promise you, there are things Gibbs doesn't know about me, and more than a few things that he's got wrong!"

She gave a soft, muffled chuckle, and nodded her head, promising that she would do so. Somewhat satisfied, Jack left them to it. If Gibbs was going at the rate Jack thought he was, the poor man would be out of stories before they left port.

Then it would be Jack's turn to be the center of Marina's attention, and if there was one thing Jack loved, it was being the center of a pretty woman's attention.

* * *

"I tell ye, lads, it's nice having a pair of ears listening to you and your stories," Gibbs said later that night, as he lifted a mug of rum to his lips.

Marty the Dwarf nodded his agreement. "Aye, but I never pictured _Rina_ to be the sort who'd like to listen to a bunch of yammering pirates. Most women are horrified at the things we walk about." He looked at the others around him. "You know what I mean."

They all nodded. "The fainting, their faces going green at the gills, the cries of horror and fear at the gruesome parts," counted off Masterson, who was the strongest, and widest, man on the crew. His arms were as wide as a palm tree, and his body was a barrel on two tall, thick legs. They called him The Mast, as he was as strong as the main mast and could lift twice his own weight. He was also invaluable in a battle, and had saved lives on numerous occasions.

"Aye, and that's only when they overhear what we're talking to each other about," commented Perkins, who was the opposite of Masterson. Tall, thin as a reed, the men sometimes called him Saber, for the weapon he wielded like a maniac. "I once had a woman run screaming after I told her about one particular battle. You know, the one off the African coast?"

Gibbs finished his drink and put the empty mug back on the table. "Makes you have a certain respect for the young lady. She didn't turn green once, or break into tears. In fact, I had trouble getting her off to bed –she was that eager for another story! If this keeps up, I'll be out of them by the end of the month!"

By then, the others were looking a bit happier as they drank from their own mugs. It wasn't often they had an attentive audience to their stories, not unless they were paying the night wenches to do so, and that was when things became too costly for a night's entertainment.

Mayhap future voyages with Miss Marina would be more interesting than before.

* * *

Our week in port went by faster than I thought it would. Anna received permission from Jack to take me on morning walks to the beach (but _not_ into town), and every afternoon, Mr. Gibbs arrived with a satchel of food for lunch, and a wonderful set of stories about the adventures either he or Jack had experienced.

After all of the supplies had been purchased, after the treasures they had taken had been sold, and after everyone had purchased all of the things they needed and returned to the ship, Jack ordered for us to make ready for the morning tide.

That was when he surprised me with a small silver cuff for my wrist. It was two fingers wide, and brightly polished, looking like the sea on a clear morning. He could not have picked a better gift for me. When I tried to thank him for it, Jack shook his head, saying that after doing as he'd asked, I deserved it. I still kissed his cheek in thanks, which made him smile.

The next day, after the sails were hoisted and everything made ready, we sailed out into the Caribbean, all of us in a far better mood, myself included.

In spite of my being confined to the Pearl during that entire week, I was in a rather good spirits, and more than ready to return to work in the galley. Over the past few days, Anna-Maria had taken me aside and shown me how she had reorganized the tools, as well as all of the new spices and supplies that had come aboard. She also showed me how to use all of them correctly, and said that if I wanted to experiment with anything, I would have to try it on my own food first, before I attempted to serve it to the crew.

Knowing she was right, I made today's stew with its usual spice mixture, and sprinkled a bit of a new one into a little pot of stew, which would be for my own meal. Luckily, I had only used a little; when I tasted it, it nearly burned my mouth to ash! I made a note to be far more careful next time.

When we had been at sea for barely two days, Jack announced that I would be receiving instruction on how to fight and protect myself. Anna and I were thrilled at this prospect, but the men seemed a bit nervous. I guessed they worried that I would hurt myself, or worse, that my instructor – whoever it would be – might just hurt me.

'_They really are sweet_,' I realized as I prepared for bed that night, wondering at how things had changed since I had come onboard.

Inside, I pondered which weapon would suit be best. The sword, or the knife? Would they teach me to use that loud weapon called a pistol? I did not like the pistol.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and let myself fall to sleep, eager for the next day to dawn.

* * *

AN: Review?


	9. Quality Time

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: I know I'm updating early this week, but Friday through Sunday is going to be busy for me with a lot of Spring Cleaning that I need to do, so I thought I'd treat you to an early update, rather than a late one. Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 9: Quality Time:**

At last, dawn came, and with it, my excitement in learning how to fight was renewed. I woke on edge, my heart beating fast as I dressed, had breakfast, and rushed to put together the day's noon meal.

Once the lunch stew was mixed, I was pulled up onto the deck by Anna-Maria. Awaiting us was Mr. Gibbs, who seemed uneasy as he shifted from foot to foot. Around us sat the men, who, I was amused to see, were keeping one eye on their work and another on us.

'_Goodness, I hope the ones sorting through today's catch pay closer attention to what they're doing_,' I thought, watching them work. '_I don't think that having a stomachache is something they can afford to have_.'

They had been very good students, watching and learning from me as I sorted through everything the fishers had caught in their nets. They knew what was good to eat, what wasn't, and what fish could be consumed if they were cut apart correctly. I was very glad that their desire to stay healthy and fed overcame their desire to avoid me at all costs.

'_The Sea God knows that it took a whole day just to teach them to gut a single fish correctly_!' I thought, just barely keeping myself from rolling my eyes. '_But I __**am**__ glad that they have taken my directions seriously_.'

Right now, however, the men were in serious danger of poisoning their supper. Heaving the soft wheeze that served as my sigh, I went over to them, and corrected Perkins before he dropped a set of poisonous spines into the 'eatable' bucket. His odd, brown-green eyes looked at me as I pointed out what he had missed in his gutting, and showed that he had almost destroyed a perfectly lovely cut of fish by allowing himself to be distracted.

To my amusement, and everyone else's, Perkins blushed right up to the roots of his blonde hair. "Sorry, Rina," he mumbled so that only I could hear. "I'll do better with the next one."

I gently patted his arm and smiled, showing him I had confidence in him. He merely gave me a small salute and waved as I went to join Gibbs and Anna-Maria, both of whom held swords in their hands, though Anna held two of them.

"Here you are, Rina," she said, handing me one blade. "Hold still and let me adjust your grip."

Firmly grasping the sword, I stood and waited as Anna rearranged my hold on the hilt. When she deemed it good enough, Mr. Gibbs hefted his own sword and told me to watch his stances and movements as he demonstrated.

Swallowing nervously, I did as asked, my stomach beginning to knot with anxiety.

* * *

Watching her friend turn pale and slightly panicked, Anna-Maria sighed and went to push Gibbs out of the way.

"Heave off," she snapped, taking his place. "You're frightening the poor girl by showing her moves that she won't be able to copy for at least a few weeks! Go back to mending the nets while I teach Rina what she needs to know."

All around them, the men chuckled quietly, but turned back to their work as their source of amusement had been taken from them. Meanwhile, Gibbs went to a corner of the deck, where a mound of nets awaited him, mumbling under his breath.

Paying him no mind, Anna smiled at her student. "Now, take your sword and hold it like this. When you have your sword up, move your feet around until you feel secure on them."

Marina watched her closely and mimicked the action, shifting her feet to copy Anna's stance. "Very good," Anna complimented her, coming to adjust her student's elbows. "Now, do everything I tell you, and copy what I show you."

The next hour or so left Marina looking drained and tired, but Anna couldn't afford to have too much mercy on her. Life aboard a pirate ship was dangerous, and sooner or later, they would find another ship to plunder, which would mean another nasty battle. Even though Anna counted Marina as a friend, she could not afford to let her attention waver towards Rina's welfare during a fight.

That was why these lessons were so badly needed. After the last raid, Anna wanted to be sure that Rina was able to defend herself, at least until help could arrive to get her out of trouble. She also strongly suspected that Gibbs and the Captain wanted the same thing –it was a bit obvious that Gibbs was fond of Marina, and liked having the girl pay attention to his tall-tales of piracy. He would feel very guilty if anything happened to the poor girl.

As for Jack –well, when a pirate found something and brought it aboard his ship, he tended to keep that thing safe from others. It wasn't exactly a _good_ kind of protectiveness; more like a greedy need to hold on to what a pirate thought of as 'his.' And since Jack had been the one to find Rina, it was a good bet that he wanted to protect the woman he had brought aboard, one who was now a working part of the crew. If there was one thing Jack hated, it was losing a hardworking crewmember, particularly one who owed him a great deal.

"Alright, Rina, that's enough," Anna called, halting her friend in mid-swing.

The blade froze in place, hanging in midair before being lowered by a wilting Marina. The poor girl looked ready to drop, and Anna felt a twinge of pity for her. Ever since her first day here, Rina hadn't been worked very hard. True, cooking was hard work, but that took a great deal of concentration, and not much physical labor.

With sword-fighting, there was a great deal of both physical and mental strain in an effort to get things right. As Marina had not done much menial labor, this was twice as difficult for her, particularly when she wasn't very steady on her feet.

'_Not that I'd tell Jack that_,' Anna thought, biting her lip as Marina wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead. '_He thinks her weak and strange enough as it is_!'

Still, she had noticed that Rina had a rather odd gait, one that made her think that the young woman wasn't entirely used to walking. That was ridiculous, of course –all humans knew how to walk, even the very dimwitted. Anna had been concerned about it at first, but now she believed that, like Rina's muteness, it was likely a part of the trauma of being shipwrecked. Combined with her need to get her sea legs while on the Pearl, and her land legs while on shore, it was no wonder she had difficulty walking wherever she went!

Admittedly, though, she had gotten better at keeping her balance, and no longer looked as though she were half drunk or clumsy. Rina could now navigate her way around the Pearl with the best of them, so hopefully, with a bit of extra effort, she'd be able to learn the footwork that went with her fighting lessons.

"Go back to the galley, Marina," she said, smiling as her friend awkwardly handed the sword back to her. "We'll pick this up again later, when you're done making tonight's supper."

A quick smile of thanks, and the girl was gone, back to the place she had made her own. Though the Pearl was a fairly good-sized ship, it had been hard to find Marina a place that suited her, poor thing.

'_Luckily, she's handy with a knife, and can prepare a soup that doesn't make people sick_.'

"So, how goes everything with your student, Anna?" asked a voice from behind her.

Rolling her eyes, Anna turned. "Well, Captain, it'll take a good while to make her a moderately decent swordswoman, but with a lot of time and effort, I think we can manage it. A pity she's so busy in the galley, but two hours of practice should be enough, for now."

Jack smiled, apparently very pleased with the news. "Very good, Anna. Now, I'm off to check and see what our fine cook has ready for lunch. Make sure that Gibbs doesn't get the nets all tangled together again –as I recall, you had a bad time fixing them up, last time." He grinned and swaggered off towards the galley, humming as he walked.

Scowling, Anna turned and stomped off, uttering quiet curses at both Jack and Gibbs, who, as expected, had managed to knot two separate nets together…again.

* * *

Softly muttering his favorite sea chantey, Jack strode into the galley and was met with a welcome sight: namely Marina, dishing out a bowl of soup that smelled delicious.

"Ah, just in time, I see!" he exclaimed, retrieving a bowl and spoon so that he could help himself. "Well, since we're both eager to eat, why don't we have a meal together?"

Sitting himself down on a barrel, he motioned for Marina to join him, which she did. As they dug into their meal, Jack took care to study the girl out of the corner of his eye. Her hair was pulled into a braid, like always, showing off her shining blue eyes and soft skin, which was now tanned by the sun. Most would think the braided hair would be severe, even unflattering, but Jack thought it suited her well.

'_And if Anna-Maria knew what I was thinking about her protégé, she would gut me like a fish_,' Jack thought, smiling inwardly as he sipped a bit of broth.

The other men knew better than to try anything on Marina, but Jack had always been somewhat of a slow learner, particularly when it came to pretty women. Besides, the other men had been on the receiving end of Marina's attention long enough, what with her listening to some of their tales for quite a while now.

'_Of course, as long as it looks nothing like I'm trying to worm my way into her attentions, no one will be the wiser_.'

Finished with his meal, Jack set his empty bowl in his lap and turned towards her. "So, Marina, I hear that you enjoy the stories Gibbs has been telling you about me," he said, smiling as she blushed oh-so-charmingly. "Did he tell you about how I encountered a tribe of cannibals, and had to find a way of escaping certain death?"

She shook her head, her eyes wide in excitement. Grinning, Jack set aside his bowl and began the tale.

* * *

"…and then they made me their chief!" Jack said, finishing his story.

She stared at him, blue eyes wide with awe and wonder as she sat there, hunched forward on the barrel that served as her chair. He gave her a moment to compose herself, and almost preened with pride as she clapped enthusiastically, a broad smile on her face. As she clapped, Jack couldn't help but take off his hat and bow a little, relishing the attention and admiration.

'_It's nice to have one's stories appreciated, rather that brushed aside as nonsense_.'

More often than not, his accounts were met with doubt –namely rolled eyes, scoffs, snorts and other signs of disbelief. Marina's eager, enchanted gaze made him want to tell her every legend there was about him, just to see those beautiful sapphire eyes glow.

He mentally slapped himself. No, there would be none of that! The unfortunate thing was mute, after all, and so far as he was concerned, possessing such a disadvantage made her off limits. True, at first, he had chalked up her muteness to her being feebleminded, but now he knew better. She was as smart as anyone else on the ship (certainly smarter than Cotton's blasted parrot!), but he still would not move any further than friendship.

'_I may be a pirate, but even I have a small bit of moral bone in my body_!'

Thanks to his mum, Jack knew the difference between right and wrong (as well as in between), and normally, wooing a wench wasn't much of a concern to him. However, trying to win over a girl with Marina's 'issue' was in the wrong, and not even Captain Jack Sparrow, great romancer of women, would take advantage of her…even if he was tempted to do so.

'_But even a rogue like myself wouldn't try anything with a girl this innocent_.' Besides, Anna-Maria would have his guts for garters, and he rather liked them where they were.

It was tempting, though…

"Well, I'd best be off," he said, getting to his feet. "Tonight, we'll have a bit of a party, what do you say? The men are already breaking out the rum, which we've plenty of, and perhaps I'll teach you some lively dances."

She nodded in agreement. "Very good, then," he replied, tipping his hat at her. "Until later, then, Rina!"

* * *

Once Jack was gone, I immediately tidied up the galley, washing up a few of the bowls, spoons, and pots that Mr. Cotton hadn't yet gotten to, and hung up what was already cleaned and dried. The evening's stew was nearly finished, and the men were milling about on deck, clearly ready to eat their dinner so that they could ready the ship for the night's festivities.

Sure enough, not long after I set the stack of bowls and spoons out for them to use, the men formed up a line and quickly served themselves, taking their food up onto the deck to eat. It was rare to see the men so organized, something that ironically happened only on an evening that was bound to become both chaotic and interesting.

After eating my own meal, I assisted Mr. Cotton with the clean up, and helped tuck everything away into its proper place while secretly slipping bits of food to his parrot. He caught me once or twice, but didn't try to reprimand me for it.

When the chores were finished, Mr. Cotton made his way on deck, with me trailing slowly behind. Like the previous party, I had a feeling that tomorrow's food would have to be kept simple and laid out for the men to help themselves to, as they would be up at whatever hours they chose. I would not need to cook for them –my task would be to merely see that there was enough food for anyone who wanted it.

As I made my way up to the deck, dusk was beginning to fall. The torches were lit, the deck had been cleared so that there was space for dancing, and in the corners were areas for gambling, which I knew next to nothing about. I had seen them at it before, and Anna and the others seemed to enjoy it, but even after they tried to teach me, I could not understand the rules and customs, so I stayed away. The cards and dice they played with seemed interesting, but I wanted to merely play with the objects, not risk losing anything I owned.

"Ah, there you are, Rina!" Jack called, coming over to take my hand. "Glad you could join us. Come on, the lads are about to strike up a favorite song of mine, and I've promised you a proper pirate dance!"

Moisture pricked the back of my neck, and nervousness turned my supper into a stone in my stomach. Before I could try and refuse him, however, Jack grasped my hand firmly in his and pulled me to the cleared area, where he motioned for the men with instruments to play. Grinning, they did so, and all around us, many began clapping while others joined us to dance.

"Hold tightly, luv," he said, grinning as he grabbed both my hands.

* * *

With a strangled sound that was between a squeak and a squawk, Marina let him pull her all around, her feet trying to mimic his as they went into a jig.

There was a brief moment of panic on her face as he swung her about, but after a little while, she began to relax, trusting him to teach her the correct steps, or at least lead her through it. He grinned. It was rather satisfying to have someone put so much faith in him.

Around and around the deck they went, the crew laughing and clapping as Jack and his partner whirled about and coasted across the deck. Marina's face was now less panicked, and she seemed to be having fun. The blue in her eyes flickered in the torchlight, and her black hair began to come loose from the braid it was in. She looked utterly enchanting.

'_No_! _None of that_!' cried a voice in his head, nearly causing him to trip over his own feet. Well, how was he _supposed_ to act when the girl in front of him was attractive?

Fortunately, he remained steady in his step, and was able to guide Rina to the end of the dance, the two of them breathless as the music ended. By then, she was giving a quiet, gentle wheeze, which Jack guessed served as her laugh.

"You're a natural, Marina," he complimented, earning a blush and a smile from her. "Have a rest, and we'll see if we can get another out of you!"

Shaking her head, she grinned broadly at him and squeezed his hands, silently thanking him for the dance. Jack, on the other hand, barely had time to nod at her before she raced off to join Anna-Maria, who pressed a mug into her friend's hand.

"Good idea, Anna!" Jack hollered, turning towards his men. "Break out the rum, and let's see if I can't win a few coins from a few of you!"

Cheers and good-natured jeers filled the deck as his crew rushed to fetch their cards, dice, and boards, all of them eager to test their luck. Grinning, Jack gave Marina a playful salute and went to the nearest card game.

* * *

Oh, goodness, dancing was such fun! The first time had been slow, but this one had been much better!

Sipping the water that Anna had given me, I watched as the men partook in their games. Some cheered as they won, others groaned at their losses, and all the time, coins changed hands. It was fun to watch, though playing the games didn't appeal to me.

For a while, I was content to sit with my friend and drink my water, or nibble on whatever food was passed in my direction. Sometimes, Mr. Cotton's parrot would fly over to beg for some hardtack or bread crust, and others, Mr. Gibbs would come tell me a short story about pirates he had known in the past, or to give me a brief lesson in piracy in general. I rather liked listening to Mr. Gibbs –he had a very nice, soothing voice and accent, and he made me laugh.

An hour or two after my dance with Jack, the music makers started another tune. This caught everyone's attention, and it wasn't long before Mr. Gibbs pulled me to my feet.

"Come on, Rina!" he exclaimed as Anna took my cup. "Join the fun!"

Unable to resist, I let him pull me into a lively dance, in which I soon found myself tossed around the deck, hooking arms with one man after another as the music played, and the air filled with laughter and clapping hands.

* * *

Jack did his best to appear positive, but he really didn't like the way poor Marina was being manhandled by the crew. True, it was just a dance, but on a ship where the men severely outnumbered the women, it was a good idea to try and keep the men in order, before things went too far.

Fortunately, his men weren't completely lost in their cups, and had enough sense to let Anna-Maria lead the poor thing off to bed once the dance was over, all without protest. Once temptation was out of their sight, they immediately began to make fools of themselves, allowing Jack to relax a little…but only a little.

Taking a long pull of rum from his cup, Jack decided on something. Tomorrow, Jack himself would take over Marina's fighting lessons, to show the men how serious he was about taking care of her, and send a silent message that he would not tolerate any one of them putting one finger on her, either.

* * *

AN: Hmm, seems Jack is starting to warm up to Marina, doesn't he? Thanks for reading, and please review!


	10. Different Kinds of Learning

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Here's chapter 10! I know I'm updating early, but I'm on a major roll with writing this week, and might even post a new story in a new category, though I'm not sure yet (I'm still writing and tweaking, just to be sure it reads alright). Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 10: Different Kinds of Learning:**

When it came time for my next lesson in weaponry, I was shocked to find Jack standing there, arguing with Anna-Maria and Mr. Gibbs while the other crewmembers pretended _not_ to be overhearing their conversation. It would have been hilarious, had I not been so worried at what the argument was about.

As they couldn't hear me above their shouting, I had to pull out my little silver bell, which was pressed under my shirt and vest. Knowing that it would take a lot of noise to gain their attention, I grit my teeth and shook the bell with all my might.

I was able to get the crew's attention fairly quickly, but it took a little while for Anna, Gibbs, and Jack to notice that _I_ was making the commotion. When they finally quieted down, I put the bell away and gestured to ask what in the world was going on.

Mr. Gibbs looked rather embarrassed, but Anna and Jack looked torn between annoyed, surprised, and amused. Well, Jack looked amused –Anna seemed mostly annoyed. All three of them looked at me, and it seemed to take them a little while to understand what I was trying to ask them.

"No worries, Rina," Anna said, glaring at Jack. "The Captain seems to think that he's a better teacher for you than I am. Gibbs was trying to make a case for the both of us, but apparently it isn't working."

I sighed, shaking my head at the whole thing. Looking towards Jack, I gave him a questioning glance, hoping that he would understand what I was trying to ask him. He must have, since he was quick to give me a reassuring glance.

"I just want to give you the best instruction possible, Marina," he said, glaring at his first and second mates. "You're the most disadvantaged of us, since you can't speak or protect yourself, and since I'm the best fighter aboard, it seems only right for me to teach you, rather than Anna-Maria."

Anna sniffed in distain. "Aye, but _you_ were the one who wanted me to teach her in the first place," she retorted. "You put her in my care, and since instructing her in weaponry is part of being under my care, that means it's _my_ job."

Jack's face grew so hard and fierce, it made even Anna gulp and step back. "I've changed my mind," he growled.

The sentence hung in the air, frozen as I stared between the three of them. Anna actually looked away, as did Gibbs and all the other men around us. It was astounding, seeing Jack take control like this –he was normally so kind and carefree. But why was he acting this way?

"Now, Rina," Jack said, his voice softening as he addressed me. "Have you finished making that soup for our lunch yet?" I nodded. "Good. Anna here will go fetch your sword, and then we'll get down to business. Meet me in five minutes by the helm."

With that, he turned and left me standing there, gaping.

* * *

Jack didn't know why he had acted that way in front of poor Marina, but his temper had gotten the better of him.

'_I do __**not**__ like being questioned by my crew_,' he silently growled to himself, '_Particularly when it comes to my orders_!'

He was, after all, the Captain, and everyone aboard his ship was under his command. Since he wasn't cruel or doled out beatings, the crew followed orders because he was a fair Captain who never asked the impossible or the improbable of them. So far as he was concerned, taking over Marina's fighting lessons was perfectly reasonable.

'_I just wish I hadn't gotten so angry in front of her_,' he thought sorrowfully. She was a sweet girl, and he very much hoped that he hadn't frightened her with his full display of authority.

Well, she was bound to be exposed to it, sooner or later. At least it wasn't when they were in the middle of a raid; otherwise she would have been frightened out of her wits by the orders he was giving!

Fingering the grip of his blade, Jack looked down towards the deck, and sighed. It was time to give a lesson in survival to one who needed it most.

* * *

In the cabin I shared with my friend, I was incredibly anxious as I held my sword in my hand. Anna had been keeping it for me, but now that Jack was my teacher, she decided it might be best to put it in my possession.

"That way, I won't have to fetch it for you whenever you need it," she explained. "Besides, one of these days, Jack will probably order you to carry that weapon wherever you go, to get used to wearing it and moving around with it. Like you wear your knife and don't even think about it being there."

Well, that made sense, but handling it still made me uneasy. A knife was essential to my people, since it served not only as a weapon, but also as a tool so that we could eat shellfish and other things that fingers alone could not kill. A sword, however, was just a weapon, and a dangerous one at that.

"Alright then," Anna said, scowling. "Let's get you up to the Captain."

She must have seen the fear in my eyes, because she sighed and reached out to gently grip my shoulder. "Don't look so worried, Rina," she tried to sooth me. "Though I'd never admit it to his face, Jack _is_ a skilled fighter, and it _is_ somewhat of an honor to have him teach you."

That made me feel a little better, but when I realized that she said he was a skilled fighter, my fears returned. Would he have patience to train me, or would he lose his temper because I was a beginner and might shame him? I did not want Jack angry at me –he had always been so kind before. Would this training change all of that?

My mind was filled with fear and doubt as I climbed onto the deck. From here I could see Jack stood near the helm, waiting. Once he spotted me, he motioned for me to join him, which I slowly did. Up the steps I went, sweat prickling the back of my neck as I approached him. Part of me was terrified to find myself facing the image that had formed inside my head, that of a legendary pirate and fighter. But another part was cheering me on, telling me to try and make him proud.

To my relief, instead of a frown or a scowl, Jack merely gave me a cheerful grin and motioned for me to draw my sword. "Let's see what Anna has taught you so far, Rina," he said. "I know you were with her for only an hour, but I want to break you of any bad habits you might have before we go too far into it. Once I know what those are, we'll work from there, savvy?"

Forcing a smile onto my face, I nodded, displaying a confidence that I didn't feel. Jack seemed to not notice, for he told me to take a stance and show him how Anna had showed me to hold my blade. I did so, and waited for the critiquing to come.

To my surprise, Jack was rather gentle in correcting me. Perhaps I shouldn't have been as surprised as I was, since I knew him to be a good man, but it still came as a shock.

First, he corrected my stance by putting a firm but gentle hand on my waist, one of his feet tapping wherever my legs or feet were out of place. A soft tap pushed one foot a little further in front of the other, while a soft word in my ear told me to bend or straighten one of my knees.

"Right, there you are," he said after a few moments, smiling. "From now on, practice that stance whenever you're standing still. Try it when you're doing the cooking, or on deck, standing still. That way, it becomes a habit and a natural place to put your feet."

I nodded my understanding, and prepared for the next part of the lesson, which was how to hold a blade. Jack corrected me with his hands, again with a gentle touch and instructions.

"Whatever you do, keep your blade up," he said. "Don't lower it for _anything_, do you understand? If you do, your enemy won't hesitate to attack, because he'll think you're weak or exhausted. And if you _are_ worn out, try not to look it, or else you're dead."

The gulp I swallowed was silent, but also very visible to Jack. He saw my fright and put one of his heavily ringed hands on my shoulder to calm me. "I'm not trying to scare you, Rina," he softly told me. "I just want you to be aware of the dangers we face on this ship as pirates."

He motioned for me to sit, which I did, choosing a nearby barrel as my seat. Jack took another, his face serious. "Marina, you must know that neither Anna nor Gibbs will be able to protect you during a battle, which is why you must learn to fight. Even if we were to lock you below, there's no guarantee that an enemy won't manage to find their way down to your cabin and break into it. You _must_ be able to defend yourself against anyone who wishes you harm. Do you understand?"

I nodded, but he wasn't finished. "Besides, if we were to lock you in your cabin, and the ship were to catch fire – or, God forbid, begin to sink – then you wouldn't be able to escape easily."

A cold shiver went up my back as Jack reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "Now, let's see what else can be accomplished today, shall we?"

Gathering my courage, I rose from my seat and took a stance as Jack skillfully drew his own blade.

* * *

As their lesson drew to a close, Jack felt just a small smidge of guilt over having frightened Marina half to death, but it could be helped. She needed to be frightened, if only to make her understand the situation she'd found herself in.

During their lesson, however, she managed to not only get over her fears, but to also pick up a few things from him before she had to return to the galley for her chores. Her stance needed work, but her grip was a firm one, and even if she was a little unsteady on her feet, she was still able to dodge or block whenever Jack reached out to smack her (gently) with the side of his blade.

To be quite honest, the silent girl had proved herself to be a good student, and more than capable of learning. When she'd first joined his ship, he had thought that Marina's muteness meant that she would be dull when it came to the area of wits, and that she would be a burden to him and his crew.

'_How wrong I was about that_!' he thought, smiling as he called their lesson to an end.

"Alright, Rina," he said, sliding his sword into its sheath. "You stretch out and walk a bit to make sure your muscles don't stiffen, and then you can go. I'll see you again later this afternoon, after you've got the evening's stew cooking on the stove and cleaned up afterwards, savvy?"

She nodded and headed down to the main deck, clearly intent on taking a short walk around it. Along the way, she paused to greet Anna-Maria, who smiled and proudly clapped a hand on her shoulder. Gibbs was next, and he seemed just as proud as Anna was.

Around the deck Marina went, some of the men waving or nodding to her as she passed by. When she reached the steps heading down into the ship, she paused long enough to smile at Marty the Dwarf, who said something that made her give one of her odd, wheezing laughs. When her amusement settled, she patted his bald head and went down into the galley, leaving Jack wondering after her.

'_Well, she's certainly found a proper place aboard_,' he marveled, stepping to take the helm from Cotton's hands. '_Never thought __**that**__ would happen_.'

Of course, a sweet girl like her was bound to make friends with just about anyone around her. She was a smart girl with a sense of humor, and though it pained him to even think it, Marina was also a good listener. No doubt, if she could talk, the conversations she could provide would make his mind spin!

'_And she not only likes listening to the men talk about their adventures, but they like having her as an audience. There aren't many women in the world who would listen with more than one ear to what my men have to say about their experiences at sea_.'

In Jack's opinion, there were two ways to a man's heart: through his stomach, and by listening to his chatter about the 'times' he'd had, both good and bad. Marina was swiftly learning to do both. Her cooking had the men happier than he'd seen them in a long time, since they no longer had to worry about spending hours tossing up poisoned meals over the side of the Pearl.

But it was probably her listening that got her their acceptance. Sailors _loved_ to have someone pay attention to them while they reminisced about 'the old days,' or talked about recent battles or pillaging. And if that listener happened to be a pretty girl who seemed to be genuinely interested, so much the better! It was no wonder that Gibbs, Perkins, Marty and the lot of them were happy to have her, an eager audience, here onboard.

And her show of obedience to his rules was astounding. Most women by this time would be bored witless, or tired of the restrictions that Jack had bound them to. Being stuck aboard the Pearl while the men explored and enjoyed their shore leave would have infuriated any other woman, as it had Marina, but she had seen sense in his words and done as he'd asked. To reward her for not going against him, Jack had allowed Anna to take the girl ashore for walks whenever possible.

'_After she learns to defend herself, I'll let her go ashore with Anna and a few of the more trustworthy men, so that she can have some fun_.' A few parties on deck could hardly make up for time on land, exploring.

Sighing, Jack focused his gaze on the sea and on their next destination. It was time to see if there was a stray merchant ship making its way across the Atlantic, before the crew became restless.

* * *

Tossing and turning in my bed, I finally gave up on trying to sleep. After two exciting lessons from Jack, I'd thought that I would be far too exhausted to remain awake. Instead, I'd had too much excitement, and needed to rest my mind. Perhaps the deck and the fresh sea air would give me that.

Dressing myself quickly, I pulled on my boots and left Anna-Maria asleep as I slipped out the cabin, quietly shutting the door behind me.

To my relief, the deck was quiet and deserted, all except for Mr. Cotton, who was at the helm. I waved at him, then proceeded up to the bow of the ship, where the tall partition hid me from view. Alone with the peace and quiet of the sea, I closed my eyes and let my mind drift into the depths below.

Some of the great predators were out and about, hunting for a late meal. They would find something, no doubt about that –the sea was always busy, no matter what time of day it was. Some of the creatures would be resting, or even asleep, but mostly, the entire ocean teemed with ever-moving life.

'_The dolphins and whales would be resting, though_, _or asleep,_' I reminded myself.

Well, they would be _half_ asleep. Unless they had a safe hiding place, it was dangerous for any creature in the sea to fully sleep, and as far as I knew, only the merfolk could rest without the risk of getting eaten. However, we only slept when we were someplace safe –whenever we were in the open ocean, the most we could do was keep ourselves half conscious, in case of danger.

But these thoughts were clouding my mind, and I needed to relax if I was to get any rest tonight.

Once more, I let my mind gently drift, like the slow currents beneath me. It took me to a small gathering of dolphins hovering in the water a short ways away. They were quite fortunate that the Pearl was a good enough distance away, so that they were in no danger of getting hurt as we sailed past. A few of the older females sensed my mind's presence, but since I was no danger to them, they ignored it in favor of a good night's rest.

Further away from the dolphins, and in the opposite direction, was a small gathering of sharks, though none of the larger killer ones. These were creatures my size, or a little smaller, and they were feasting on a swarm of fish that could not escape the mass of circling predators.

A brush against the cool, calm, calculating minds of the feasting sharks was enough for my own to settle, and allowed me to think about what had kept me awake so late.

It was Jack.

The handsome pirate had stirred feelings that I had never experienced before. They were warm, lifting emotions that I had heard about from those who were mated, and though they felt good, I did not know if these were good things for me to feel.

I tried to crush them, push them aside so that I wouldn't feel them anymore. I could not feel anything more than friendship for Jack –it would be foolish to do otherwise. He was a worldly man, and I was a mermaid-turned-human, shakily making her way through this new world and searching for acceptance. He would never feel anything more than kindness and a friend-like fondness for me.

'_But his hands were so gentle as they held me_,' whispered a small part of my heart. '_He was careful with me, and didn't yell or curse even once during our whole lesson_.'

He hadn't even gotten frustrated or angry when I couldn't do things correctly. Anna had gotten a little flustered, but Jack had been patience itself as he adjusted my stance and used his hands to bend an elbow or turn my shoulders a bit.

I flushed. No merman had ever made such an impression on me, not in my three centuries of life. None had even approached me to declare their attraction, not like they had with others I knew or were related to. Perhaps Jack's touch had brought out a longing that I had buried deep in my heart, one that had been dormant until now.

A memory came to me, one that quelled the hope I had begun to cling to. '_I remember hearing the thoughts of someone onboard thinking about how popular Jack is with women. Apparently human females find him irresistible, myself included. It might be a type of magic that he has, like the Faery Folk of legend do with their glamour_.'

But no, that wasn't it. If Jack had possessed any sort of magic, I would know –after all, we merfolk _were_ magical, and magic called to magic. No, Jack was human, utterly human, so his ability to attract women must be a natural skill of his.

'_And since he is so fond of women in general, there is no chance that he would feel anything for me_.'

I sighed. Calypso had said that, once I found someone to love me as I am, my voice would return. If Jack was not meant for me, then perhaps I ought to focus my energies on finding a mate who could love me in spite of my muteness. Surely with all of the sailing we were doing, I would find at least _one_ man who would find me appealing?

'_Hope is the best thing for me_,' I reasoned, somehow managing to cheer myself.

Opening my eyes, I turned and headed back to my cabin, ready to rest.

* * *

Standing in the shadows, Jack watched Marina head below deck, his eyes focused on where she had been long after she'd vanished. The girl was a constant puzzle for him, one that he very much enjoyed trying to understand. He did so love a challenge, particularly when life got a little too mundane for him.

Part of him protested, reminding him that the girl was mute, after all, and innocent. However, that was part of her appeal –that gentle innocence which tempted the rogue pirate he was.

'_Not that I'd take advantage of the poor girl_,' he hastily thought, scowling at the ladder leading downwards.

But he had liked holding her, just that little bit during their lessons. He'd liked how her hip and waist fit his palm, and how soft her hand had been under his as he corrected her hold on the sword's hilt.

"Bah, I'm woolgathering," he grumbled, shaking his head as he turned towards his quarters.

An hour later, as he fell into deep slumber, Jack dreamed of eyes as blue as the Caribbean on a clear morning, and just as deep.

* * *

AN: Review?


	11. A Day Out

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean **_or_** Little Mermaid**_. Well, except the movies, a Jack Sparrow poster, a magazine with his picture, and the _**Pirates**_ soundtrack, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: Happy Friday the 13th! Here's another chapter for everyone. Thanks for reading, and let the countdown begin towards _**Pirates**_ 4 next week!

**Chapter 11: A Day Out:**

Sometimes in life, having morals can be a terrible pain in the…well, it was a terrible pain.

As a pirate, Jack shouldn't have morals –or at least, not many of them. However, his mother had been firm in teaching him right from wrong, as she hadn't wanted him to be a complete blackheart when he grew up. She had also insisted that he follow the Code his father adhered to with such a vengeance. Jack had also been taught to respect others, and to not take advantage of, or harm, those who could not defend themselves.

His father, on the other hand, had taught him well when it came to piracy and everything that came along with it. The pillaging, fighting, outwitting, and most importantly, the escaping of arrest, had all been part of the sinful side of his education. He had learned to do many of these things hand-in-hand with the morals his mother had taught him, and so far, come out none the worse for wear.

However, there was the wenching aspect of being a pirate, which Jack tended to straddle the line about. This had been the more complicated part of his education in piracy, mostly because it was hard for him to tell whether to treat a woman as the wench she was, or to treat her more respectfully.

Thus far, it had been relatively easy for him. Wenches in ports tended to know how they were going to be treated by those around them, and made the best of it. Any true ladies that Jack had had to seduce for the sake of profit were treated as such, and in the end, everyone got what they wanted –though the women tended to be angry at him for quite some time after he'd left them.

In regards to Marina, however, Jack was stumped. He didn't know what she was exactly; she wasn't a wench, nor was she (at least in his eyes) a fine lady that needed to be treated delicately. He didn't dare be more forward towards her, since being too forward was a step closer to nearly forcing a woman, which went against the Code his parents had drummed into his head.

To make matters worse, he didn't like or understand the stirrings he felt for the bonny lass with the sea-blue eyes. She was a constant puzzle he was trying to understand, and just when he thought he was starting to get somewhere, she threw him completely off his feet.

His first mistake had been in believing that because she was mute, Marina would be rather dim. Her infirmity had cast everything in doubt, and if it hadn't been for Anna-Maria's stubbornness, Rina would have been left back in port ages ago.

Then she had to go and show him that she was just as bright as the rest of them. Her skill in handling fish had been a shock to not only him, but the entire crew. She also showed them that she was able to learn things, and was able to communicate using her hands and facial expressions. Occasionally, she even managed to mouth a few words without sound, though she didn't seem aware of it. Jack could read lips (another skill taught to him by his dad), and her mouthing words seemed to be unintentional, since she didn't seem to put any effort or emphasis on the words she was trying to communicate.

Now here she was, proving to him that she was perfectly capable of learning new skills. Rina had been somewhat unsteady on her feet since the first day she's stepped on deck, and he'd expected her to be even worse off when learning how to fight. After all, sword fighting took time, effort, and a bit of grace to learn.

But to his surprise, Marina was able to take a decent stance and follow some of the footwork that went with practicing the sword.

It had been two weeks since lessons started, and things were progressing nicer than Jack thought they would. A week ago, Anna told him that Marina was practicing her foot placements constantly, and was starting to get the hang of balancing on the balls of her feet. Then, three days ago, he'd given Rina orders to practice her grip on soft, palm-sized cloth balls filled with sand, which Anna-Maria had in her possession. Now she was doing that, too, in her spare time between cooking and fighting lessons.

'_It's a good thing that, while we've only raided two ships in all this time, she's stayed below for each fight_,' he mused to himself as he gripped the helm. '_We've also stopped at a few places to relax, resupply, or listen for gossip on the merchant ships_. _She never even left the ship, thank goodness_!'

He counted himself lucky that Marina hadn't been called into battle before she was ready. If there was one thing he didn't want to see, it was Marina lying, hurt (or worse, lifeless) on the deck. He could not bear that.

Jack winced at the thought of her blood spilling all over his deck. In their line of work, blood and wounds were all a part of life, but he didn't have to worry much about his crew –they were all skilled fighters, and knew how to take down an enemy before they got too wounded to do so.

Marina, however, was a baby when it came to this type of thing. He didn't want to teach her to fight, much less get her involved in any future battles, but there was no choice. Even if he did try to hide her away during a raid, she _had_ to know how to defend herself, even if it was only long enough for help to come.

Looking down at the deck, he saw the topic of his thoughts emerge from below decks. She smiled at a few crewmembers, some of whom gave a casual salute, while others gave a wave or a nod as she passed them, apparently on her way to Anna-Maria. While his second mate greeted her friend with a pat on the shoulder and a grin, Jack scowled. What were they up to?

Curious, he watched as Anna led her off to the bow of the ship, where the partition hid them from view of everyone except the fellow up in the crow's nest, and he was busy watching out for any approaching ships or trouble.

His curiosity getting the better of him, Jack motioned for Mr. Cotton to come take the helm. The old man did so, and nodded once the wheel was firmly in his hands. Jack nodded in reply, and went to go take a little peek after the two women, wondering what he would find.

* * *

"Now, Rina, I know that Jack's teaching you swordplay," Anna said as soon as we were alone, "But there's going to be a time when you're unarmed, and that's when you're going to have to know how to defend yourself with only your hands and feet as weapons."

I blinked at her, and shook my head, but she motioned for me to listen to her. "During a battle, someone might knock your sword or knife out of your hand, leaving you weaponless. I'm going to teach you some kicks, holds, punches, and other moves so that you don't get yourself killed."

That did not sit well with me. I was clumsy enough without this new set of lessons, and barely holding my own during my sword practice with Jack. In fact, the only reason I hadn't toppled over during Jack's lessons was because he sometimes held me by the waist with one hand while he guided me through the steps.

The memory of Jack's warm hand on my hip made me blush. '_He truly has gentle hands_,' I marveled, just before I forced my mind back to Anna.

She saw my red cheeks, and her eyes softened. I could tell that she thought I was embarrassed, but she hadn't guessed what I was truly embarrassed about –she thought it was the fighting, not Jack.

"Well, let's get you started," she said, striking a pose. "I learned this from a Chinese sailor quite a number of years ago, and it's done me a world of good so far."

* * *

Watching from his perch above the partition, Jack shook his head at the sight. Poor Marina was stumbling a little, but at least she wasn't a complete klutz on her feet. He supposed it was her repeated practice of her sword stances that kept her from falling over, but she was still unsure of herself.

'_Perhaps I should tell her that everything is like a dance_,' he pondered, watching as Marina took a stance and tried to follow Anna-Maria's moves. After all, she seemed to like dancing, and was slightly better at it than she was at fighting.

Jack grinned, remembering the times he'd danced with her. She had been awkward, obviously, and clueless as to the steps, but it had been such fun teaching her that he hadn't minded it one bit. Of course, Jack never minded a lovely woman in his arms, whether she was awkward or not. Sometimes, they were a bit more charming when they were uncomfortable and unsure of themselves.

From his seat, he watched as Anna showed her pupil how to kick, punch, and bite her way out of a situation. It made for some great entertainment, since it was Anna-Maria who was on the receiving end of those attacks.

An hour later, Jack watched in disappointment as Anna ended the lesson, the two women tired and breathing heavily as they went back to the main deck. Once there, Anna sent Marina on her way while she herself went to inspect some of the work the men were doing. His entertainment done, Jack slowly slipped back to the deck, hiding from Anna's sight until he made it to his cabin.

There, he closed the door behind him and picked up a bottle of rum from his desk, his mind considering many things as he began to drink.

* * *

"Jack, you've _got_ to let Marina off of this ship!" Anna demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. "You can't keep her prisoner onboard the Pearl forever. Sooner or later, she's going to have to go out there and explore. The poor lass is going to go mad from being shackled to the Pearl day and night!"

"Anna-" was all he was able to say before being cut off.

"She deserves to go have fun, Jack," she proceeded to lecture him. "Marina is capable of handling a sword now, though she's only had a few weeks' training on it. She's also got me, Gibbs, Perkins, and half a dozen other men who would gladly look out for her while she's exploring. There's no reason for her _not_ to go ashore, particularly when this isn't a pirate port town!"

Part of him wanted to argue with her, to say that Marina couldn't go ashore, but he knew his second mate was right; Marina had earned the right to go, and he shouldn't be standing in her way.

Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and nodded. "Alright, Anna," Jack conceded. "Tell Marina that she'll be going ashore. _But_," he said, holding up a forefinger, "_I_ want to be the one who looks after her. If folks see her with me, they'll think twice about trying anything, savvy?"

To his relief, Anna-Maria nodded her head. "I'll go tell her. She'll be thrilled at the prospect of going with us."

As she left, Jack couldn't help thinking, '_Us_? _What did she mean, __**us**_?'

* * *

I could barely hold still as Anna pulled my hair into a braid. I was going into town today, and was both terrified and excited. What would I see? Where would I have my noon meal? How many people would I meet?

"Alright there, Rina?" my friend asked as she pulled the last strands of hair into place. "Got your weapons ready?" She smiled at my nod. "Good. Slip that silver cuff of yours on, grab your purse and let's go. Captain's waiting for us, and sometimes he gets impatient."

I was nervous as I rose from my bed and did as she bid before following her up to the deck.

We had docked late yesterday afternoon, while I had been seeing to last night's supper. Anna had told me just that morning that we might be making land, which hadn't surprised me. I had heard the men talking about it over the past few days, and this morning, had braced myself for my usual stay aboard ship with Anna.

My heart had nearly burst in excitement when, after today's breakfast, Anna came to tell me that Jack had relented, giving me permission to go ashore as long as I had an escort with me. I would go armed, of course, and there would be others with me as I did my exploring, but I didn't care, as long as I was able to leave the ship!

Luckily, I had been privy to many of the crew's roaming thoughts, as well as Anna-Maria's mind whenever she slept or dreamed, so I had a rather good education in the human world. I knew what 'markets' and 'stalls' were, as well as 'buildings,' 'stores,' and 'streets.' I also knew the names of many plants and animals that were probably going to be bought and sold, as well as the names of objects being offered to anyone passing by a stall. I was ready for whatever I encountered –I hope.

Up on deck we went, where the deck was mostly empty except for Jack, Mr. Gibbs, Marty, and Masterson, a man who was not only the strongest of the crew, but who was also gentle in spirit. Though he was a big man, Masterson had been one of the few who had done their best to keep a distance from me, as though he were afraid of me. It wasn't until several weeks ago, after our visit to the small port known as Georgetown, that he began to at least nod and smile at me as I passed him, though he did not really speak much to me. I still felt it was progress.

"You look very well, Rina," Jack complimented me, smiling as I blushed. "Blue and brown suit you."

He meant the blue shirt and brown breeches I had chosen for today. Anna had approved as well, though Jack's words seemed to mean more.

"Well, let's go, shall we?" he asked, offering me his elbow.

I had to gently probe his thoughts to understand that he wanted me to put my hand in the crook of his arm. I didn't understand why, but decided it was better for me if I did as he wished.

With Jack on my right and Anna behind me on my left, we went down the gangplank and onto the docks, heading into the bustling port of Kingstown.

* * *

In the past, whenever I encountered a large gathering of merfolk, a great sense of uneasiness had settled on me. I had always been an explorer and traveler at heart, and being around so many mermaids or mermen tended to put me on edge.

But for some reason, now that I was human, it didn't seem to bother me much. I was used to the crewmen being around me all the time, and sharing a room with Anna-Maria wasn't so terrible, as she was a friend of mine. Thank goodness I was now accustomed to people, for if I wasn't, being in the marketplace in this town would be torturous for me.

"What do you think, Rina?" Jack murmured into my ear, his free hand coming to rest on my hand tucked in his elbow. "What would you like to see first?"

Spotting something colorful out of the corner of my eye, I turned and smiled. Someone was selling jewelry! I had to look at what was being offered.

Practically dragging Jack along behind me, I approached the stall and began looking over everything that lay in sight. There were so many metals and gemstones, I couldn't believe my eyes! My fingers immediately released Jack's arm and instead picked up a necklace made of thin silver chains linked together, with pale blue stones dangling from each link.

'_No, too delicate_.' I shook my head and gently set it down. '_Ah, __**that**__ looks much more promising_!'

It was another cuff bracelet, this one as wide as three fingers together, and with many intricate designs engraved in it. The designs were of plants twining around each other, and in different stages of growth. I remembered that these were called flowers, and many people in the market were actually selling all kinds of real flowers.

"That's quite the nice choice, miss," said the stall owner, coming over to help me try it on. He smiled as the cuff glittered in the warm sunlight.

"Aye, it is," Jack agreed, though he seemed rather distrustful of the other man. "Now the question is this: how much?"

The seller named a price, causing Anna-Maria to scowl. "That had better be the price for the fancier bracelet there," she growled, pointing at an exquisite piece with purple stones set into it. "Try again."

Chastised, the man lowered the price considerably, but not good enough for Jack, who tucked a thumb into his sash. "Sorry, Marina, but it looks like the pretty bangle isn't for you today. Be a dear and put it back, ay?"

The seller quickly named another price, which made both Anna and Jack exchange a look before Jack nodded his satisfaction. "Good enough. Do you have the right coinage, Rina?"

I reached for my money pouch and looked at the inside of it, unsure as to which coins to use. Swallowing, I sent a quick thought into his mind to deduce which ones were right. It came to me soon enough, so I counted out the four coins that were correct and handed them to the seller, who asked if I wanted to wear it or if I needed a satchel for it. Jack advised me to wear it, so I did, smiling at the fact that I had actually bought this for myself. I felt very human indeed.

"Let's see what else they've got," Anna suggested, looking pointedly in one direction. "I'm thinking that Rina would like to take a gander at a few other trinkets, besides jewelry."

She led us to a clothes seller and instructed me to buy a few bandanas for my head, as a means of keeping my hair out of my eyes. I didn't understand why she wanted me to do this, as my hair was always worn in a tight braid, but she said it was also to keep sweat out of my eyes.

"Better you use these than your shirt sleeves," she joked. "And I didn't want to give you any of mine, since I haven't many to spare in the first place. In the second, using someone else's head cloth is a bad idea, when you think about it."

Oh, well, that made sense. Humans apparently cared about cleanliness, which would explain why Anna always made me wash at the end of each day with a small basin of water and a cloth. She also told me to get some handkerchiefs, two sashes, and some new shirts in colors that I liked. Since I enjoyed looking at many colors, it took a great deal of restraint on my part to pick out a mere handful of garments from the dozens or so being offered to me. In the end, I chose several in different shades of blue and green, and one in purple, which Mr. Gibbs insisted that I get.

"Goes well with your eyes," he said, cheeks turning slightly pink as I smiled my thanks at him.

By the time I finished, it was time for lunch, and I was hot, tired, and very hungry. Jack asked the clothes seller directions to a nearby place to eat, and proceeded to lead our group there. Once inside, we were seated at a corner table, and Jack ordered what seemed to be enough for twice our number.

It was a wise choice on his part, for we were more than able to eat everything that was brought, leaving not one bite left over. Slices of roasted meat, potatoes, cooked vegetables, and mugs of water flavored with lemon went down our throats, and gave us new strength.

For me, the afternoon was as thrilling as the morning. Jack had things he wanted to do as well, and as he didn't want to send me back to the ship quite yet, I was able to watch him argue back and forth with a store owner over food and goods for the Pearl. It was quite entertaining, and when I wasn't watching his handsome figure, I was with Anna-Maria, looking over the other goods being sold there. It made for an interesting, and rather educational afternoon.

By the time we finished visiting the shops that Jack needed to go to, it was beginning to grow dark. And as he refused to allow me in town after dark, he sent me back to the ship with Gibbs, Anna, and Marty to keep me company. He also gave Gibbs some money to buy supper to take back with us.

After our fine supper of roasted duck, bread coated in the fat of that same duck, and a few tiny cakes for dessert, I went to my bed, tired and content. I could hardly wait for what tomorrow might bring!

* * *

AN: Review?


	12. Unique Sensations

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Here's a new update with a longer chapter, just in time for _**Pirates 4**_! I can't wait, I'm so excited! Thanks for reading, and please review!

**Chapter 12: Unique Sensations:**

I was just starting to wake when someone began to knock heavily on the cabin door. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, Anna-Maria woke and let out a string of words I didn't understand the exact meaning of, but knew they were very naughty.

"Who the bloody hell is it?" she snapped at the door while reaching for her sword.

I grinned, but hid it under my blanket. Anna did _not_ like being woken up and _especially_ did not like it when someone laughed at her –though she sometimes made an exception for me.

"It's me," answered a familiar male voice, which made my heart jump. It was Jack! "Open the door, Anna, if you're decent."

"I bloody well _won't_!" Anna cried, gripping her weapon even tighter. "It's too damn early, for one thing, and besides, you woke up poor Rina, who had a big day yesterday and needs to rest!"

I could hear him sigh. "Anna, I happen to have a very big day planned for her in town," he said. "Get her up and ready, _now_. Besides, it's long past dawn, and Gibbs needs you to help check on some of the supplies that have arrived."

Anna muttered a few more curses, then glared at the door. "Fine," she snapped. "It'll be a while, though, so go wait up on deck until she and I head up there!"

We heard the sound of footsteps walking away, and knew we were safely alone. I had finally managed to get my amusement under control, and pulled down the blanket just as Anna crawled out of bed, her nightshirt tangling in the sheets as she struggled to stand. I quickly joined her, and the two of us immediately began to dress.

* * *

By the time we reached the top deck, Jack had begun pacing back and forth impatiently. I gave a small laugh that came out as a 'huff-huff' sound, and Anna joined in, laughing softly as Jack turned and spotted us.

"Finally!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Come on, Rina; let's go before all of the really nice things in the market are sold off."

"Oh, no you don't, Sparrow!" Anna reached out and smacked him on the arm, causing him to wince and rub his shoulder. "The poor thing hasn't even had any breakfast yet, and you want to start dragging her around town? Do you _want_ her to faint from hunger in the middle of the street?"

Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. "I plan on getting her some food from the market stalls, Anna," he explained, exasperated. "Now, can we go? Perkins and Masterson are waiting for me to bring this lovely thing along."

I blushed as Jack took my right hand and tucked it into his left elbow before leading me down the gangplank.

"Be sure to bring her back by lunch!" Anna called after us. "We need to go over the supplies in the galley!"

Jack merely waved back at her as he led me into town, both of us smiling all the while.

* * *

Jack was true to his word. The moment we met with Perkins and Masterson, my guide led us to a stall that was selling hot bread rolls that had something yellow melting into it.

"We'll have a breakfast roll and butter to start, then see if we can't find someone selling fresh fruit," Jack aid, handing me a roll.

It was hot, but delicious, and filling. The butter was rich on my tongue –we never had butter on the Pearl, which I often heard Anna-Maria complain about whenever we were in the galley together. She said it 'went bad' too quickly, otherwise she'd keep some aboard to use in the food. I could now see why she longed to have it –it was absolutely wonderful!

As I carefully licked the last trace of butter from my fingers, Perkins brought us some fresh fruit that had been speared onto wooden sticks. Since Perkins was so tall and thin, I thought it was amusing how closely he resembled the food he brought us.

Jack handed me a stick with yellow fruit on it, and told me to try it. "It's pineapple," he said as I closely examined it. "It's sweet, but it might have a little bit of sour to it. You'll like it."

I _did_ like it, but not as much as the green and orange melons that he asked me to try. By the time I ate the last bite of green melon, I was stuffed, and Jack handed me a handkerchief to clean myself up with. I hadn't realized that I looked that horrid after eating, but I tidied myself up, nonetheless.

Once I was clean, Jack stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket and put my hand in his elbow again, so that he could lead us further into the bustling town.

* * *

Today, we did not focus on the stalls, but rather on the shops set inside the buildings.

I was astounded that there were so many of them, and many sold things that didn't seem too different from what the people at the stalls were selling, except that they were selling them indoors. However, there was a great deal more space at the shops, and much more to look at.

To my surprise, Jack took me to a shop that sold cloth of many different kinds. It seemed that what they sold here would take a great deal of money to buy, but the man who owned the shop seemed to be a friend of Masterson and Jack's, so we were welcomed inside, though I felt that we really did not fit well here.

While Jack, Masterson and their friend talked, I was led around the store by Perkins, who pointed out a material called 'silk.' "Very expensive, it is," Perkins said, looking at the blue material. "Since the other man's not looking, why don't you run a hand over it and let me know what you think?"

The shimmering material looked so beautiful, I couldn't resist. Raising a hand, I gently stroked the cloth with two fingers, and sighed. It was cool and liquid against my skin, like seawater flowing over my hand again. Closing my eyes, I imagined myself back in the ocean, swimming with friends and being carefree, like I used to be.

Then the dusty smells of the shop reached my nose, and I was back in my new body, the illusion shattered. I sighed again, pulling my hand back to drop to my side. It was a good thing I did not have anything made of silk, for touching it would only make me weep and long for the world I had left behind.

"Finished looking, Rina?" Perkins asked gently, apparently sensing my sadness. "I've spotted something I think might interest you."

He led me to a shelf with many small glass bottles that had stoppers in them, and each of them was a different hue and color. There were bits of paper attached to the stoppers, but I could not read them –I was going to have to get Anna to teach me how to read soon.

"Perfume," Perkins said, retrieving one bottle and unstopping it. "Hmm, roses. Here, Rina, have a smell and let me know what you think."

I took a small sniff, and tilted my head to the side. I liked the heavy scent –it smelled elegant and ancient, like some of the older spirits and goddesses of the sea. Intrigued, I chose another off of the shelf and sniffed that one, though I quickly regretted it. It smelled overpowering, and so strong it felt as though it were burning my nose. Perkins laughed as I hurriedly returned it to the shelf and chose another.

How long we stood there, sniffing the bottles, I couldn't say, but we were nearly finished by the time Jack had come to join us, a smile on his face and a pouch at his belt, one that hadn't been there when we entered the shop.

"Well, Perkins?" he asked, looking over at me. "Have you managed to keep Rina busy while I tended to business?"

The tall man nodded, eyes glinting as I winced at the scent he had offered me. "Aye, Captain," he said, grinning as I put the glass back. "We've been at the perfume bottles for near an hour now, and I can tell you that Marina has a good sense of smell when it comes to them."

Jack looked at me and grinned when I blushed. "Is that so, Rina? Well, which of these fine scents did you like the most? Flowers? Fruit? Or maybe a mix of both?"

Perkins picked up a small bottle that was an odd color of green, and opened it. "You remember this one, don't you Rina? You liked it best."

I sniffed it and smiled, nodding that I did remember liking it. Perkins read the label, "Cucumber, mint, and lime oils," he said. "Refreshing and pretty, isn't it?"

Jack looked at me for a long moment. "Try it on, Rina, and see if it agrees with you."

Of course, I didn't know what he meant. I had no idea what perfume was –all that I knew was that these bottles had 'perfume' in them, and that they smelled nice. What did he mean by trying it on?

Before I could even attempt to read what he meant in his thoughts, Jack reached out, put the cork back in the bottle, and shook it twice before uncorking it. He then took my right wrist and gently rubbed the slightly damp cork over my skin.

"Alright, let it dry, and we'll see if it's the right one for you," Jack said, gently setting aside the bottle.

We waited a moment, and when I felt that my skin was dry, I gave my wrist a tentative sniff. '_Oh, that's lovely_,' I marveled, smiling. It was crisp, fresh, and light; all of it blending perfectly together to raise my spirits.

Jack grinned. "I see we have what you need," he said, motioning for the store's owner to join us. "Lucas, wrap this up carefully, will you? It won't do the lass any good if the bottle breaks."

Lucas, who was a cheerful, tiny man, was more than happy to wrap the small bottle in a large sheet of paper, then tuck it into a small brown satchel for me to wear on my belt. While I tied it on, Jack handed Lucas a few small coins in exchange for it.

"Nicely done, mate," Jack said to his friend. "If you've got any soap in that scent, you might want to have them sent to the Pearl with Marina's name on it. The poor thing's been using the same soap my second mate has, and it seems rough on her fair skin."

He grinned as I glared at him, hurt that he thought my skin to be rough, and that Anna's soap wasn't good enough for me. It was far gentler than what the men used, and it smelled better, too. And she seemed to have plenty of it, since she was always telling me to wash before bed. Why did I need soap of my own?

Jack leaned over to whisper into my ear, "Trust me, luv, it's for the best. Anna has her own taste in soap, and this will be for your own personal use."

Sighing, I nodded and let him lead me out of the shop, but not before giving Lucas a smile of thanks as we left. He nodded his head and smiled in return, even giving me a wave just as we turned the corner of the doorway.

* * *

I lost count of the number of shops we visited, and the number of goods I had looked at. By the time we paused for lunch, my head was spinning and I was in sore need of food.

Our noon meal was at a small eating place, where we were served a thick stew of meat and vegetables, along with fresh bread and butter. I decided that, whenever I visited shore, I was going to have butter as much as possible.

After eating, Jack insisted that he take me to a shop on his own, sending Perkins and Masterson on their way. I was confused at the grins and glances they threw at each other, but chose to ignore it when Jack did. As soon as they were out of sight, Jack led me to a tiny shop with a large woman sitting in a corner behind a raised platform of wood. She smiled at us in welcome, and told us to look around at her goods.

"If there's anything you can't find, let me know," she said, motioning towards the limited number of shelves around the place. "I might have what you're looking for, or know who might have it instead."

Jack thanked her and motioned for me to follow him to the right, where he picked up a large hair clip of dark wood engraved with flowers in different colors. He looked at it for a moment, shook his head, then put it back in its spot. He found another, this one smaller and made from a pale wood, carved with the images of seashells and waves. It was very pretty, and I found that I liked it very much.

He turned towards me and, looking from it to me, seemed to approve of something only he saw. He nodded once, reached into the pouch at his waist and tossed a coin to the woman, who caught it, beaming happily as she tucked it away.

To me, Jack handed the hair clip. "As nice as your hair looks in a braid, I think it could use a bit of decoration. What say you?"

I smiled and flushed as I put the clip in place at the top of my braid. I didn't know why he was being so kind to me today, but I felt it not right for him to do so much for me when I did not deserve it.

Standing on my toes, I tried to press a kiss to his cheek, but missed. Instead, he turned his head so that his lips met my own, and as they did so, a warm shock spread through me, straight down to my feet. I felt as though he were hugging me from the inside, a sense of safety and fulfillment enveloping me as I stood there, my lips pressed against his. It was the most wonderful sensation I had ever felt, either as a mermaid or a human.

When he pulled away, I suddenly found myself longing to feel that warmth and safety again. It had been such a short kiss, but it felt as though an eternity had occurred in it.

From his heavy breathing and dazed look, Jack seemed to have felt it as I had. "Well, that was interesting," he murmured as he swallowed hard. "Let's get back to the Pearl, aye? I seem to remember that Anna-Maria wanted you back for some stupid reason."

I nodded, my face suddenly red with embarrassment, but my heart was warm with something I had never thought I would feel in life. However, I dared not name it, for I had no idea of Jack felt the same for me. I didn't even dare try to ask him if he cared for me more than a friend. Merfolk rarely fell in love more than once or twice in our long lives, and if we are refused by the one we love, we are so heartbroken that we prefer solitude than a forced bonding to one we do not care for.

'_If Jack were to refuse me, I don't think I could bear it_,' a part of me said, lowering my spirits as Jack took my hand and led me back to the Pearl.

And how could I _not_ care for him? How could I not feel this way for the man was so kind and attentive to me, who had saved me from death and given me a place aboard his ship? He had seen to my safety, and ordered me trained in ways to protect myself from harm. And he had taught me how to dance when I never thought it possible. He and he had accepted me as one of his own crew and shown me the wonders of the human world.

"Here we are Rina," he said, jarring me from my thoughts. "Anna's probably on deck waiting for you, so why don't you go up to meet her? I've got a few things to do in my cabin, and might head into town to meet with Gibbs later, so if I don't see you today, have a good evening."

I smiled shyly at him before giving his hand a brief squeeze and heading up the ramp. Sure enough, Anna was there waiting for me, and the glare she gave me said that I was late, and she was angry. Hanging my head, I followed her down to the galley, my day of amusement over until tomorrow.

* * *

Watching Marina head off, Jack wondered what he had gotten himself into this time.

'_Not here_,' part of his mind whispered. '_Get to the cabin_.'

Good idea. It wouldn't do for him to stand here, staring into the air in thought. His crew might just think him madder than they already did, and he did _not_ want anyone asking him questions he might not have any answers to.

Whirling around, Jack quickly rushed into his cabin and locked the door, his eyes searching for the one thing that could clear his head at a time like this: rum. Luckily, he kept at least three or four bottles lying around, so it was no trouble finding one.

A bottle in hand, he threw himself down into a chair and took a long pull of the liquor, which burned a path down his throat and warmed in his belly. Of course, that warmth was rather poor compared to what Marina's kiss had done to him…

"No!" he cried, waving his hands around and practically bathing himself in rum from the open bottle.

No, he couldn't risk thinking anything like that, or feeling it, either. He was a pirate, and pirates didn't risk falling in love, not in their line of work. Well, a few of them did manage to get a girl and a child, but being a pirate meant that there was a very good chance that you'd end up dead and your family stuck with no means of support. It was best for a pirate to stay unattached and indulge in salty wenches at whatever port he ended up in.

But that hadn't stopped what Jack had felt when Marina kissed him. Actually, that had been his own doing (and undoing) –he'd purposely turned his head so that her lips touched his, rather than brush his cheek like she intended. It was his own bloody fault for being curious about the kind of kisser she was, and that curiosity had come back to bite him in the rump, soundly and painfully.

It wasn't that he hadn't enjoyed the kiss -Jack certainly enjoyed kissing women, and having them kiss him in return. Kissing Marina, he believed, would have been no different than kissing a woman in any other port.

The problem was, it had been far different, because when his lips touched hers, it was like lightning had shot through him. His heart had either stopped or beat faster, he couldn't tell which, and the feel of Marina's lips on his had been so much better than they'd felt on his cheek.

"Much more better," he murmured, staring down at the table.

After kissing hundreds, if not thousands, of women in his life, Jack had honestly not thought twice about exchanging a mere peck with Marina. Even though she was mute and somewhat innocent, she was still a charming, attractive woman, and Jack could not resist charming and attractive women.

So, being the man and pirate that he was, Jack had wanted to "test the waters" with her.

First were the sword lessons, which he enjoyed because they gave him an excuse to be near her, and touch her hands -as well as other places. Here in town, he had bought her little gifts to win her over, and just when she felt she owed him a bit of thanks, she had delivered to him a kiss that had literally taken his breath away.

Groaning, he took a pull from the bottle. Playing with women's hearts was like playing with fire, and in nearly all cases, Jack had come out only a little singed, if not a tiny bit burnt. In his ploy with Marina, however, his goose had been _very_ cooked.

"What have I done?" he groaned, running a hand over his face.

He had taken a chance, a gamble, and lost. For some reason, he was hooked on this girl, and couldn't understand why. She _was_ attractive, but she was also sweet, caring, and almost delicate, all of which were _not_ traits that he looked for in a woman. So why _this_ one?

'_Perhaps it's because she's different from any other woman I've chased after, in that she doesn't hang onto me for the sake of a night's pay.' _Or it might be those incredible blue eyes of hers, the way they just seem to pull him in whenever she smiled at him. Perhaps it was she gave him her full attention whenever he told her one of his tales.

Whatever it was, Jack knew that he had to put a stop to it, and soon.

The problem was, he didn't know if he wanted to stop it. The way she smiled at him, listened to him and his stories with such attention, and let him gently hold her while teaching her to fight showed she had great faith in him, the rogue pirate that he was. No one had ever trusted in him like she did, not even his own mum.

But did she feel the same way he did? He couldn't be sure about that. Many women had fallen prey to his charms, but he'd never been sure if they were genuine, or if it was just a woman falling for the legendary pirate, not the man himself.

Sighing, Jack took a long drink and decided that he would need a lot more before long. With the amount of rum he intended to pour down his gullet, a trip to the local tavern would be uncalled for.

* * *

AN: Review?


	13. Conflicts and Interests

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Hola, everyone! Quick note with this week's update: I will be on vacation next week, so there will be no update for another two weeks. Thanks for being patient, and I promise that it will be worth the wait!

**Chapter 13: Conflicts and Interests:**

Since I had returned so late from my day ashore, Anna decided that we could put off doing the sorting in the galley until the next day, preferably after we had spent some time together exploring the town, just the two of us females.

Since a day on shore with Anna sounded exciting, I agreed, and the two of us had settled in for a quiet evening in our cabin, with her telling me all sorts of odd tales of the sea until it was time for bed.

Unfortunately, I did not get another chance to explore the town before we left.

Early the next morning, as we were getting ready to go ashore, Jack had declared that we would be leaving on the noon tide, and we had a lot of work to get done before then. The men had grumbled, but agreed. It was time to get back to sea and earn a living.

As such, I had to help Anna-Maria take a final inventory of goods in the galley and the supplies, in case we had missed something earlier. It took some time, but when we found that there were a few things unaccounted for, Gibbs made a special trip into town to find out why, and returned just before castoff with not only what Anna had asked for, but a few extra spices and food items as well.

"Turns out the shop owner had – _mistakenly_ – lost part of our order, and was more than happy to make it up to us," he said, grinning rather savagely.

Anna laughed. "Well, let's hope that the fellow learned his lesson about cheating his customers," she replied, taking what he'd brought. "Come on, Rina, let's get these taken care of before we sail."

We also began the soup for lunch, only this time we used chicken instead of seafood, since a chicken had been with the supplies Gibbs had brought onboard. Anna put in a few chopped up sausages and several fresh vegetables from those extra supplies as well, to give it extra flavor and thicken the soup. When she finished and set it to cooking, it smelled absolutely delicious!

Apparently the crew agreed with me. When I went up on deck for my sword lesson with Jack, the men seemed thrilled at the meal they were going to have, because they worked on their chores with a great deal of cheer and excitement.

Only Jack remained untouched by this cheerfulness that had come across the crew, for he seemed unusually focused on teaching me my lesson and on nothing else until he returned to his cabin afterwards. My instincts told me that it was because of the kiss we had shared, and that he was unsure of how either one of us felt about this whole matter. I knew that he had enjoyed the kiss, but he was clearly confused about the whole thing.

But there was nothing I could do about that, not now at least. I would have to wait until he approached me to raise the matter, and until then, I would let him sort out his thoughts and feelings before dragging my own heart into it.

When my morning sword lesson was over, I tried to ask Anna about the soup through gestures, which made her laugh. "They're just happy I made this special soup, Rina," she explained. "It needs specific ingredients if it's going to taste right, and since it's been a very long time since I made it, they've every right to be thrilled."

She reached for a spoon and offered me a taste. The mixture of spices burst on my tongue, and the rich thickness was hearty and promised to be very filling. I smiled and nodded at her as my mouth began to heat up a little, but not overly so. With the heat lingering in my mouth, it was actually quite pleasant.

"There, now, you see why the crew likes it so much?" she teased as I nodded. "Well, it won't be ready for a little while, so why don't I start you on a reading lesson?"

Anna grinned at my surprised expression. "I saw you looking at my books, but it was clear you can't understand what's written there. We'll start at the beginning, and move on from there."

And so began another set of lessons for me. Anna managed to teach me all of the letters that made up the language we were speaking, which was English, and I was surprised at how some of the letters resembled symbols I had seen in sunken Greek ships. My mother had taught me what some of those meant, and said that the Ancient Greek civilization had influenced other lands, but the meaning behind these symbols were different than what she had taught me.

By the time the soup was finished cooking, I had started reading two- to three-letter words and writing just a little, which surprised Anna-Maria to no end. "I'm guessing someone started you on reading and writing, but apparently didn't get very far," she mused as I pointed to the letters she asked me to. "Since you're mute, your family must have thought that this was all you could learn."

It wasn't that, of course. In my eagerness to learn to read, I had begun plucking things out of her head so that I could learn them faster. Hopefully, in a matter of days, I would be able to read as well as she did.

Thankfully, she merely shrugged it off. "Well, we'll move onwards before and after you've had your afternoon sword lesson with the Captain. Right now, it's time to eat."

Everyone ate their lunch with relish, savoring every bite of it until our bowls (and the pot) was empty. With our stomachs full, I joined Anna for another brief lesson in reading and writing until Mr. Cotton had finished cleaning the galley. I then began the evening's meal, which of course would be seafood stew, but with the shelves holding new or restocked spices, it was going to be a fine one.

My afternoon sword lesson wasn't as uncomfortable as the morning one had been. Jack was in a far more relaxed mood, and was gentler with me than earlier. However, with him being so warm with me, it was harder to think of him as a teacher, and a touch of his hand caused me to remember our kiss. Merely by laying his hand on mine did he make my heart beat faster, and the memories to return.

Finally, during the final part of our time together, Jack asked me to attack him. "Just come at me, Marina," he said, hefting up his sword. "I promise you won't hurt me. Come on."

Biting my lip, I paused, thinking carefully. When I'd gathered enough of my courage and formed a small plan of attack, I raised my weapon and did as he asked: I attacked.

* * *

It's always gratifying for a teacher in weaponry to let their student attempt things on their own, and Jack was no exception. He wanted very much to see how Rina would do in a fight, so he'd asked her to attack him.

To give her credit, she didn't do what most people did: raise her weapon and run right at him. She didn't cower in fear, either, or panic and stand there dumbfounded. Instead, she looked at her weapon in thought, as though she were considering all of her options, and only when she was sure did Marina raise her sword.

She didn't lunge at him, like he had expected. Rather, she swung her blade, clashing with his, but gently, as though she were merely "testing the waters." He quickly countered, and was surprised when she swung again, this time from a different direction, and with a bit more force. Again, he countered. Soon, the rhythm of their swords were clashing grew swifter, with Marina shifting her stance and her feet as she fought, forcing him to move around the deck.

He grinned, admiring his partner in this dangerous dance. For all that she had been clumsy when they'd first started, it was clear that she had been practicing her stances, even if she wasn't doing it consciously. She was still a bit slow and shaky, both with her feet and her hand-and-eye coordination, but she was doing rather well, for a beginner.

When he could tell she was beginning to tire, he swiftly brought the fight to a halt, sending her sword flying with a flick and twist of his wrist.

"Very good, Rina," he said, smiling. "We'll finish this up tomorrow morning, aye?"

She nodded and went to retrieve her weapon before heading down below decks. Free until dusk, Jack headed to his cabin to do some very serious thinking.

He had been a little distant and formal during his morning lesson with Rina, and he'd no doubts about the fact that she had noticed. Through his great knowledge when it came to women, Jack guessed that she sensed that his 'distance' was due to their brief kiss the day before. She had been rather somber, and more focused on her efforts, but there were no other signs that she could sense what lay behind his behavior.

In the time between then and their afternoon meeting, Jack had come to decide that being cold towards Marina was out of the question. She had done nothing to deserve it, and he would be a poor human being to treat her in such a way when the poor girl was innocent of any wrongdoing. He would be as he always had been to her, and slowly probe to see how she felt about him.

"Alright, I admit it," he grumbled to himself. "I've grown more than fond of her." Anything beyond that, he would not say.

And when it came to this sort of – situation – the only thing a man could do was move slowly, and wait to see what the outcome would be. Patience was what he needed. It was just a pity that he'd never really been a patient man.

* * *

I woke to the sound of shouts above deck, and groaned. As my thoughts had been preoccupied with Jack all night, I had not slept well, and did not want to get up and prepare the noon meal just yet. From my sense of time, and the fact that Anna-Maria was still abed, it was too early for me to wake in the first place. Why were the men so excited, then, at this time of day?

The commotion soon woke Anna, who looked just as frustrated as I felt. "What the bloody hell is going on up there?" she snapped, tossing back the covers. "You stay here, Rina, while I go find out. It'd better be good, for there to be so much commotion this early."

We both pulled on our clothes, but I remained behind while Anna went up on deck. While she was gone, I sat and fretted, wondering why the commotion suddenly became louder as my friend's distinctive voice joined those of the men. It must be important or terrible, for her to yell like that.

It felt like an age until she returned, and when she did, she looked worried. "We've spotted a ship, Rina," she said, giving me a pointed look. "You need to stay here, and promise to keep your weapons handy, just in case. This one looks a bit more heavily armed than we're used to, so you need to be careful. Understand?"

I nodded and grabbed my knife and sword, both of them drawn –my knife in my left hand and my sword in my right. Anna beamed, her face full of pride as she shut the door, locking it tightly for my protection.

Not long afterwards, I heard cannon fire, and knew that we had engaged the other ship. Soon, I heard guns going off, and feet rushing about as the battle progressed, weapons clashing above my head as I tightly gripped my weapons.

Fighting was still going on as footsteps came down the stairs leading from the top deck, slowly shuffled about, then came towards the cabin door. I swallowed in fear as someone tried the latch and found it locked. A man cursed, and began to kick at the door as my heard leaped up into my throat. I knew I had only seconds to prepare before he came through and tried to kill me.

I raised my sword just as the door burst open, and a large man stood there, an angry look on his withered face. His hair was greasy and brown, and his clothes, which were clearly old, matched his hair and face. A long scar ran up the left side of his face, and his mouth was missing a few teeth. I bit back a wince as he noticed me, his mouth turning up into a smile, revealing the gaps in his face.

"Looks like the pirates keep a wench here for fun while they're at sea," he drawled. The thoughts that flowed from his mind were revolting, and I knew what he planned to do to me if I did nothing to defend myself.

Raising my sword, I gripped my knife in my left hand and bent my knees in a stance, just like Jack had taught me. The man raised an eyebrow, then laughed loudly. "Aw, the little thing thinks she can fight, hmm? Well, we'll see, little mouse."

He drew his weapon and raised it high, apparently trying to bring his weapon down on me in a show of strength. It was a stupid move, as it gave me enough time to swiftly kick him in the gut. Down he went, gasping as he fell to his knees. Knowing that he was merely winded, I hurried and kicked him in the face, causing him to lurch aside and grip his face in pain. The door was unblocked, and as he sat cursing and bleeding on the floor, I ran outside, still griping my sword and knife.

I raced up the steps and onto the deck, away from the confines of the lower decks. There was no room to fight down there, and up top it was much more open, even if there were men (and Anna) fighting everywhere. I didn't stop to take in what was happening, though, because my enemy was right behind me.

When I was far from the steps, I turned and crouched again, readying my sword and knife as the man saw me and growled. "You'll pay for that, missy," he snarled, lifting his own weapon.

The man was taller, stronger, and more skilled than I was; I had only been training for a short time, and had not the strength to defeat him. However, what I _did_ have was the ability to read his thoughts and therefore know what he was going to do next.

It was difficult, reading his thoughts and trying to counter what he was going to do. He often tried to distract me, but my moves changed when his thoughts did, and I was able to at least keep him at bay. I could see in his thoughts that he was furious that I, a small female, was able to hold my own against him, and that anger made him stronger and very unpredictable, even to someone like myself.

All around me, the sounds of battle faded as the Pearl gained the upper hand, and soon, I could sense that it was just me and my enemy battling with each other. We kept fighting, and I felt that I was weakening under the constant attacks he was making on me. His strength was greater than mine, and under the strain of not only his physical attack, but also trying to keep pace with the flow of his growing insanity, I hesitated too long, and felt the sword in my hand fly out of it.

I didn't even have a chance to use my knife, for the next thing I knew, something struck me across the face, knocking me to the deck. My eyes were filled with stars and my face stung like mad, but none of that mattered when I heard someone shout out in anger. When I looked up, the most incredible sight met my eyes.

It was Jack, and he was attacking the man who had struck me. He looked absolutely enraged, even more than his opponent, and the way their swords clashed together told me that Jack would not rest until the other man was dead.

The fight raged for no more than a few moments, but it seemed to me that it went on forever. Jack was slightly smaller than his enemy, but his fury gave him strength when he needed it, particularly now that the other man was surprised at the change in opponents. The stranger had also used all of his anger on me, someone he considered inferior and who should not have been able to hold my own against him.

Jack, however, was another matter. Here was a pirate who had many years of skill, and who the man considered a 'worthy opponent.' The anger in the stranger had left, to be replaced by a mad kind of joy at being able to fight someone he considered a challenge. He didn't think about winning or losing –he was just thrilled at the prospect of a good fight.

I watched closely, holding my breath as the two battled, wondering what was going through Jack's mind as he pushed the man back and quickly disarmed him before sliding his blade into the man's stomach.

* * *

The battle had been won, and all that had remained was to bind and gag the fighters off of the merchant vessel. This ship had been more heavily armed and guarded than usual, and it had taken a good deal of fighting and bloodshed to subdue them. Luckily, no one from the Pearl had been killed, or hurt fatally. There were wounded, of course, as was to be expected, but it wouldn't take long to treat them and get those who needed a doctor to the nearest port for treatment.

Just as the battles began to ebb and the other ship flew its flag in surrender, Marina appeared, a hulking brute of a man trailing behind her, the man clearly bent on hurting the poor girl. Jack had to admire the determined look on her face, but since she was a good deal smaller than her opponent, and incredibly inexperienced, he instantly feared for her life.

For a while, Marina somehow managed to hold her own against him, though Jack didn't know how she managed to do it. It was almost as if she knew what the man was going to do the same time her opponent thought it, and was able to counter each attempted swing of the sword, even if the man tried to fake a move or step.

Unfortunately, Rina was smaller, weaker, and unskilled when it came to long battles, and it wasn't long before she began to tire under the relentless attacks she faced. As she weakened, the man had an upper hand, for he had his anger to fuel him and skill to help him win.

Then Jack had seen the villain send Marina's sword flying, and one massive hand swung, striking Marina across the face. _That_ was when Jack felt his blood boil. If there was one thing he hated, it was a man who hit an unarmed woman.

Crying out his rage, Jack raced across the deck, sword drawn as Rina hit the deck, a dazed look on her face. The fight was a senseless blur to him, and when it was over, all Jack could remember was the feel of his sword sliding into his enemy's belly, killing him.

To his admiration, Rina didn't even flinch as Jack pulled his sword from the dead corpse and cleaned the blade on the man's shirt. His deed done, Jack ordered Gibbs to load the other ship's goods onto the Pearl, and commanded Anna-Maria to take the wounded down below for treatment. Mr. Cotton was to take the helm until Jack could relieve him, and Perkins was to keep a watch on their prisoners until they could be returned to their ship.

"Don't release them from their bindings, though," Jack reminded him. "We'll just set them adrift as the bound dogs that they are."

As the crew rushed to follow his orders and the wounded were taken down below for treatment, Jack bent down and scooped Rina up in his arms, one arm slipping beneath her knees and the other around her back. "You alright, luv?" he whispered, looking at her frightened, dazed face. She nodded, but he could tell that she wasn't.

Holding her tightly, he carried her to his cabin and kicked the door shut behind him. Jack then set her gently down on a chair, leaving her side just long enough to fetch a bottle of rum, a bit of soothing balm, and a rag. His tools in hand, he returned to her side, though her attention was not on him, but rather elsewhere.

"Marina," he whispered, causing her to turn towards him. "I'm going to treat your wound, alright? It shouldn't take but a minute."

She nodded and closed her eyes, which he considered a blessing –Jack didn't like to see those blue eyes glazed in pain, especially when she didn't deserve it.

In a wink, he'd cleansed the bruise that was quickly spreading across her right cheek, as well as the area around it, with the rum. The rum was followed by a smear of the balm, which would reduce the coloring in a few days rather than weeks, and a dab of the rag cleaned up any remaining drops of rum or drips of balm.

Stepping back, Jack admired his work, but bit back a wince at the sight of her lovely skin being marred by that bruise. If the fellow had been wearing rings of any kind, Marina would have a horrible gash on her face, one that would no doubt turn into a scar later.

Seeing that she was looking at him, he pasted on a reassuring smile. "You are either a very brave girl, or a foolish one, taking on a bloke like that," he teased, earning a small smile from her. "But I am proud of you for holding your own like that."

She flushed; her blue eyes sparkling with a shyness that only made her look adorable to him. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but Jack couldn't stand the thought of what might have happened if she had failed in protecting herself today. The mere thought of her lying bleeding and broken on the deck (or worse, dead) struck him like a cold knife to the heart.

He knew that he shouldn't care for her like he did, but it was too late to go back now. It wasn't the right time to tell her, either, not when she was so shaken and on the brink of tears. As always, Jack would wait for the most opportune moment to reveal how he felt, and that was not today.

"Come on, luv," he said, holding a hand out to her. You can rest in my bed while I'm up at the helm."

She smiled brightly at this suggestion, and happily accepted it. As she lay curled up atop his mattress and sheets, dozing peacefully, Jack gave her one last look before going on deck, happy that she was safe and sound, and in _his_ cabin, where she seemed to belong.

* * *

AN: Whew, longer chapter this time! Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!


	14. A Change in the Wind

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean **_or_** Little Mermaid**_. Well, except the movies, a Jack Sparrow poster, a magazine with his picture, and the _**Pirates**_ soundtrack, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: Plot twist! Sorry, had to say it, just as a warning. Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 14: A Change in the Wind:**

I spent the night in Jack's cabin, where I slept well and peacefully. My cheek hurt from the wound I had taken the day before, but my spirits were surprisingly high. How could I not feel happy and safe when Jack himself had tended my wounds, his face full of worry as he gently cleaned my cheek and spread a healing mixture upon it?

Even without trying, I could hear much of his thoughts and see his emotions dance across his handsome face –he had been worried for me; angry at the man who had attacked me; and proud that I had managed to keep myself generally unharmed for so long.

However, what touched me the most was the deep mixture of feelings he had inside him that I did not recognize. They were strong enough for me to sense, but not for me to understand entirely. Even Jack didn't seem to know what they were, but he had been determined to find their meaning, but only after the crew's wounded had been seen to.

That had been yesterday. Today, I had woken up in his cabin, and had discovered a set of my clothes at the foot of the bed, as well as a small meal waiting on a bedside table. I had swiftly dressed, eaten, and left the cabin, which had been empty of its main occupant.

Once on deck, I could smell the scent of food, meaning that Anna-Maria had already started the stew meant for lunch. Since I clearly had nothing to do, and with the deck void of much of the crew, I decided to savor the quiet.

Sighing, I breathed in the cool morning air and leaned on the railing, my eyes focused on the island that was drifting ever closer.

"You alright, Rina?" Anna asked as she came up beside me. "That bruise looks painful. He didn't break your jaw or anything, did he?"

I shook my head and smiled, indicating that I was fine. "Well, if you say so." She looked skeptical, but didn't try and insist otherwise. "We'll be making port soon, and get the others seen to. Did the Captain tell you where we're headed?"

I shook my head again, and received a smile from my friend. "We're heading towards Tortuga, the place where we found you. Doctor Phillips will see to the men, and we'll have some time to sort out the loot and have some fun while we're here. What do you say to that?"

Grinning, I nodded my excitement. Though I should have felt sympathy for the men who were hurt, both Jack and Anna-Maria had insisted that none of them were vitally so. They had already had their wounds cleaned and dressed, with the more horrid injuries awaiting the skills of the doctor. All were going to survive, of course; of that I had no doubt.

I stood at the railing, out of the way as those who were unharmed emerged from below and raced around the deck, preparing for us to dock. Jack stood at the helm, intensely focused on his navigational duties. With his attention elsewhere, I was able to admire how dashing he looked in all his captain glory, something he practically glowed with. He truly was an amazing man.

Quickly turning my eyes away, I went back to looking at our destination, wondering what it might hold for me.

* * *

Jack breathed out a sigh of relief as the doctor headed down the gangplank, having fulfilled his duties at tending his numerous patients. Gibbs had gone with him to see what the damage was, while Anna-Maria and Marina had prepared a good, hearty broth for those who would need it.

The news was good. Very few had been in need of the doctor's skills –those who had, merely required the right medicines to speed the healing of their wounds, and the doctor had left those with the men who needed them. The more seriously wounded would have to remain in their hammocks for a few days, and do only light chores for a few weeks, but they would mend.

Those who had gotten off 'easy' were content to rest a day or two, then head out into Tortuga's streets in search of 'nightly company' or a proper mug (or three) of rum.

And speaking of rum…

"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack snapped, causing his first mate to run to his side. "We'll be heading into town for supplies immediately. I want all of our medicines, weaponry, and essential food supplies replenished as soon as possible. We've got sick men who will need good, wholesome food for a while, and we haven't got it."

"Aye, Captain," Gibbs replied, running off to gather a contingent of men to accompany them.

Within fifteen minutes, Jack was leading his men into the heart of Tortuga, and two hours later, there was nothing left on his list of supplies that needed to be purchased. As it was past noon, but not quite dinner time, a small side trip to the Faithful Bride was required, if only to wet his parched throat.

As usual, the Bride was amusingly chaotic: men fought both upstairs and down, wenches managed to dance around the brawls without spilling a drop of the drinks they were carrying, and in the corners were men laughing, talking, drinking, eating, and playing instruments (often very poorly).

Spotting an empty table in the far corner, Jack led his men over and sat at the head of the large table, a proper place for a captain amongst his crewmen. A wench came over, smiled flirtatiously at all of them, and took their drink orders before sashaying away, drawing the eyes of everyone around her…except for one.

Jack sensed the girl leave, but didn't take in the view she'd presented with her low-cut blouse and the way she walked away to fetch their drinks. No, his mind was too preoccupied with the images that played through it, namely in the form of Marina. Her face kept drifting in and out of his head, and it was maddening. Part of him wanted to forget about the drink that he had ordered, to have another one of his men have his share just so he could get back to Marina and make sure she was alright.

Well, it was too late now. That drink was now being brought to him by the serving wench, and he _was_ rather parched from the bartering he'd done in town, so maybe he'd have this one drink and head back to the Pearl.

Picking up his tankard, he nodded his thanks to the serving girl, who flipped her red-gold hair at him and smiled, then took a long drink.

* * *

It had taken her ages to get that potion from a voodoo-witch woman, but it had been worth it. It had also cost Rebecca her only gold coin, which had been given to her by a pirate on his way out to sea. But the money, time, effort and patience were all worth it. If the potion worked as it was supposed to, she would have one of the most famous pirates in the Caribbean under her thumb.

There were only a few ways to live happily in Tortuga, and all of them involved money. As a serving wench, Rebecca had wanted more in life, just like all the other women here, but unlike the others, she had a plan. Using that single gold coin, she had convinced the local voodoo woman to craft a love potion, one that would put the man Rebecca desired in her complete control.

"But beware," the voodoo priestess had warned. "Love potions do not last long, and they can be broken. If the spell is able to run its course, you will only have him for a single year. If he comes perilously close to Death's door, the spell will break. After the spell is broken, you would be fortunate if he does not hate you enough to kill you for what you have done to him."

It was a chance that Rebecca was willing to take. After all, she had managed to get a meeting with the witch in the first place, an audience not given to just anyone. No doubt the gold had done all the talking, as it always did in a port like Tortuga.

'_Snagging a well-off man had gotten my sister off this blasted island, so why shouldn't I have the same fate_?'

Rebecca didn't bother to think about the fact that her sister had married for love and not money –Olivia had always been soft in that way, thinking about love and dreaming idiotic things like that. She was lucky that merchant had taken an interest in her and hauled her off of this rock, straight to a nice house in a beautiful town called Port Royal.

Today was Rebecca's turn. The potion she had bought now swirled about in the cup of the infamous Captain before her, and he'd just taken a heavy drink of it. Even as she watched, Rebecca saw something change in his brown eyes. He had obviously had something serious on his mind, but now all of that seemed to drain away. Those same eyes turned to meet her violet ones, and she knew she had him.

The deed was done. He was hers.

* * *

The crew of the Black Pearl didn't know (or understand) what hit them.

One minute, their Captain was his usual self, and in the blink of an eye, he'd gone from carefree and rum-guzzling to completely infatuated with a red-headed wench who looked ten levels above smug.

It had all started in that blasted tavern, the Faithful Bride. Drinks had been ordered and served, and not long after they dove in, something changed. Jack had gone from being focused and thoughtful to head-over-heels in love with the girl who had brought them their tankards.

At first, they had thought it was Jack being his usual self with women. When he put his mind to it, Captain Jack Sparrow could charm any woman and convince her to do whatever it was he wanted. This time had been no different, it seemed, when he asked the woman, Rebecca, to sit with him a bit.

The lass had done so happily, as every other wench would have, but after that, things turned odd. Jack seemed to want to know all about this girl, but did not want to tell her any of his tales or adventures. He sat and asked the girl a thousand questions about herself, and was happy to just sit and listen to her for what seemed like hours on end!

Before they knew it, their Captain had told Rebecca to go gather her things, because she was going to be joining him aboard the Pearl! After she had run off to gather her belongings, Gibbs, Marty, and every other man voiced their protests on the matter, begging the Captain to see reason.

"Anna-Maria won't take kindly to the woman being aboard!" Marty declared, slightly panicked. "She likes having Marina, but that's an exception!"

"We also don't have room for her," Gibbs put in. "Anna's cabin sleeps two just fine, but we haven't any other place to put this girl."

Jack waved their words aside with his ringed hand. "Anna will get used to it, and we won't have Rebecca staying anywhere near Anna's cabin," he said nonchalantly. "In fact, I'm going to have her bunk with me as soon as we get back to the Pearl."

_That_ certainly put a cat amongst the pigeons, and caused Gibbs to take a different strategy. "Perhaps you ought to wait a while, for propriety's sake," he urged. "And for the lass's as well."

His captain considered the matter, and agreed. Jack then sent several men to convert a storage room neighboring his quarters to be turned into a rough bedroom, a task that was easy enough to accomplish within a short time. The room was half-empty, anyways, and a hammock could be hung in minutes, with a few key pieces of furniture to make the place livable for a little while.

And it was these men, led by Perkins and Masterson, who came back to the Pearl and broke the news to the rest of the men –as well as its two women crewmates.

* * *

"He's gone and done _what_?" Anna yelled, echoing my exact thoughts.

Beneath my shock and horror, I could feel my heart breaking. Jack had found another woman in Tortuga, and he was bringing her aboard within the next hour or so! How could this have happened? I didn't understand human emotions or actions very well, but I knew that Jack cared for me –it had been on his face and in his thoughts. How could this have happened?

Thinking quickly, I returned to the cabin I shared with Anna-Maria while the others rushed to argue the matter or fix a cabin for the sand-grubbing creature who had snared Jack's heart.

Once in the cabin, I shut the door and began to calm my emotions so that I could think. Anger, hurt, heartache, and confusion all tore at me, and it took me some time to sooth and put aside those feelings so that I could focus on what was important: Jack's sudden change in demeanor.

There was only one force in the world that could change a person so quickly, and that was magic. As a creature of magic, I could see that force as clearly as humans could see the world around them. Even though I was no longer a mermaid, I still possessed many abilities, and seeing magical forces at work was something that always stayed with my kind –a gift from our God and King, Poseidon.

'_If I could but take a look at Jack, I would be able to see what sort of magic spell has influence over him and his actions_.'

Well, if I thought about it, the answer was obvious: a love spell. Love magic was a chancy thing, for it forced a human to feel emotions they did not have for a person they either did not know, or care for. It took a great deal of power, time and effort to cast such a spell, and the endurance of the spell also depended on the will and inner strength of the person casting it. If the caster wished to hold someone in the throes of love for months, or even years, then the spell would draw upon the caster's strength and ability to hold it in place.

'_But if it is a potion, the magic is brief, perhaps a few weeks to a few months_,' I recalled. '_Grandmother had told us once that humans have a fascination with love potions, but that very few mortals can produce an effective one, much less a brew that could last longer than a few hours or days_.'

If it was a potion, all we had to do was wait until it wore off, and Jack would be back to his old self. If it was a spell, however, it would take a great deal to break it.

"Rina!" Anna called through the door. "Come on, the Captain's back with his bloody wench!"

Sighing, I went up and joined her at the railing. When I saw Jack with the red-haired woman on his arm, my stomach felt as though it would spill its contents all over the deck. I barely managed to keep my food down as they climbed up the gangplank and set foot on the deck.

Eying Jack closely, I called upon that inner spark of magic that still flickered inside me. It was a faint flicker, now that I was human, but thanks to Calypso, it had stayed alive and burning in this new body of mine. It was this very spark that allowed me to keep so many of my mermaid abilities, and it was this that I used to see what had been used against the man I so deeply cared for.

Yes, it was a potion to create love in a human. I could see the faint red aura around him, one that was also gold-tinted, which meant a significant amount of power had been used to keep it in place for a long time after the potion had been consumed. If magic was gold-tinted, that meant something traumatic or dramatic would have to be done to break Jack free of its hold.

My heart twisted. I could not do anything horrible to Jack, even if it was to break this spell on him. I didn't want anyone else to harm him, either, so telling Anna-Maria or the other crewmen about this was out of the question.

'_But do I want to see him in this woman's grasp for who-knows-how-long_?' I wondered. '_What if they produce a child and the spell is broken_? _What will happen then_?'

"Gibbs, show this delicate flower to her quarters!" Jack ordered, smiling foolishly as his first mate ran to obey. "In three days, we'll have a wedding, so I want you, Anna-Maria, to go fetch a fine feast for us to have afterwards, savvy?"

Anna grumbled some very naughty words, but Jack didn't hear; he was too busy ordering other crewmen to go into the Pearl's storage rooms to find some fine things for Rebecca. I frowned, but said nothing; I was too busy thinking of ways to drown the red-headed woman. It was a very pirate-like thought, and I felt proud for having it –it signified my progress in becoming a pirate like Anna-Maria.

Just as I was turning to return to my quarters, Jack turned towards me, his eyes meeting mine. Curious, I gently probed his mind and felt two conflicting thoughts inside him. The dominant thought was the result of the love potion: it was primarily a constant demand that Jack focus on Rebecca and her needs before anyone else's. The one that was being clouded over was Jack's own mind, and it was full of confusion as to what was happening. Jack was likely not aware of what was going on –his only chief thought right now was Rebecca and whatever it was she 'needed.'

Well, it was good to know that he was still in there somewhere, but right now, I had to think of a way to rescue him without causing an incident with the crew.

* * *

Watching the black-haired, blue-eyed woman leave, Rebecca smiled from her spot beneath one of the stairwells leading up to the helm.

She had heard talk in Tortuga that the Black Pearl had two women aboard, and after careful observation, she knew that this one was going to be competition for Captain Sparrow's affections. Since everyone knew of the infamous Anna-Maria and her distaste for most men, Rebecca had a feeling that this girl was her enemy in this matter.

From the endless chatter of Mr. Gibbs, Jack's first mate, Rebecca had learned that this girl was called Marina, and the girl was a mute who had washed ashore a few months ago. Gibbs had told her this in the likely hope that Rebecca would try and 'make friends' with Anna and Marina, but there was no chance of that ever happening. Jack Sparrow was hers, at least until the potion wore off, and when it did, she would have everything she'd ever hoped for.

'_Not that I plan on staying with him for longer than a few months_,' she smirked to herself. '_I'll get all the goods I can out of him, then when the potion begins to fade, I'll take everything and run off where he can't find me_.'

She knew that Jack was a successful pirate, and it would be well worth a single gold coin if he was going to give her at least ten times that in the brief few months she was with him. The issue of marriage wasn't even a problem, not when she could disappear and divorce papers could be obtained without difficulty, for the right price.

'_And his skills in the bedchamber are legendary, so perhaps being married to him for a while wouldn't be so bad after all_.'

Turning, she headed back to her private cabin, satisfied.

* * *

AN: Slightly shorter chapter, I know, but the next one will make up for it, I promise! Oh, and I thought everyone should know that this story is almost over, and a sequel might be possible, though I'm still thinking on it. Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!


	15. To Break a Spell

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Here's a chapter that I hope will make people very happy. Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 15: To Break a Spell:**

I tried desperately to think of a way to break the spell put on Jack, but nothing came to mind. Actually, several things came to mind, but none of them were something I could successfully accomplish without one of the crew attempting to kill or maim me.

The swiftest and most assured ways of breaking a love spell, or nullifying a love potion, were not simple, nor kind. I would either have to cause Jack to detest this woman, Rebecca, which would free him, but that would not be easy. Since he was so obsessed with her, it would be nearly impossible to make him hate her.

The second option, however, was something I could not do, and that would involve putting Jack in a life-or-death situation. Being so near death, as well as the overwhelming emotions that experience would bring, would effectively dissolve everything the love potion brought along with it, no matter how powerful the magic in the potion was. Treading the line so close to death tended to make even the merfolk think over the loved ones in their lives, and after realizing that he did not love Rebecca, Jack would be freed of her clutches for good.

But how could I do that to the man I loved? Oh, yes, I did love Jack –the charmingly handsome, kind, good man, as well as the rough pirate exterior he always wore. I loved the way he was so gentle with me, and the way he was a good Captain to his crewmen (and woman). I loved his smile, and the way he had helped me so often, when he could have left me solely in Anna-Maria's hands.

And now I would have to repay all of Jack's kindness by causing him great pain. I did not want to break his heart or take him so close to the realm of death, but I did not want to see him in the manipulative hands of that woman! No one else knew what had happened –or if they did, they would not know how to break their Captain free of it. None of the crew had knowledge of magic, so no one except me knew how to save Jack.

There was only one difficulty: how to do it? I suppose I could send him to death's door and make it look as though it were an accident, but I seriously doubted that anyone would believe it –we were pirates, after all, and any pirate would be suspicious of an incident that was claimed to be an 'accident' when it clearly wasn't.

In spite of this, however, I was determined to help Jack, at any cost. I would help him, even if it was the last thing I did.

* * *

For three days I tossed and turned, paced and thought over this matter, and I was still no closer to an answer than I had been when Rebecca first stepped onboard.

During these three days, Jack had the crew racing back and forth into town, buying things like mad for the 'wedding' he planned to have with Rebecca. I felt ill every time someone mentioned it, and noticed that Perkins and Masterson both gave me sympathizing looks whenever they passed me and saw my reaction to the 'wedding.'

"We're sorry, Rina," Perkins muttered to me in passing. "I knew that the Captain was fond of you, more than he's ever been towards a woman, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why he's acting like such a fool with this girl."

Masterson was in agreement. "It seems like something unnatural has got its claws into Jack, and we can't figure out how to fix it," he whispered once as we both stood relaxing in the sun. "I swear the Captain's never met the lass before, so how can he be pulled in by her so fast?"

The other crewmembers agreed with this, but didn't dare mention magic for some reason. I could sense in their projected thoughts that they felt something had messed with Jack's usual self, but they didn't think that anything like magic could possibly touch the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.

'_Which is silly, since magic can affect anyone, no matter who they are_,_ if it's strong enough,_' I thought, shaking my head.

"Make ready the sails!" came a cry from above. "Man the yards, you filthy toads!" It was Jack, and he was giving orders to leave port!

As I stood there, confused, Anna-Maria came up beside me. "The fool of a man," she growled, brown eyes narrowed. "We're heading off to sea now because Jack thinks it'd be a wonderful to get married at sea! Come on, Rina; we've got to go prepare the galley for the feast Jack wants for the wedding in a day or so."

Biting my lip, I followed her, my heart in my stomach and my mind never stopping in its quest to find a way to free Jack before it was too late.

* * *

It was odd that nobody had sensed that the weather was odd today. Perhaps it was because of the way we were all rushing about to "keep Rebecca happy," a task that would drive anyone to madness.

The woman was thoroughly terrible. She demanded the impossible, and insisted on having the finest foods to eat in her cabin, as well as the best jewelry from the remaining loot we had onboard. And whenever we weren't tending to Rebecca, the woman insisted on Jack taking time away from his duties to spend time with her in his cabin.

Even worse, I knew that she didn't love him. She only wanted to marry him because he was one of the most feared pirates in the world, and knew of his 'skills' with women. She didn't care about the man himself, just his reputations. Jack didn't know this, or notice her coldness towards him; he was too under the potion to really know what was happening around him.

So it really was no wonder no one spotted the storm until it was nearly on top of us.

* * *

I had experienced storms at sea before, but this was the worst of them all. Above us, the sky was dark as night, with no bit of sun breaking through even though it was noon. The waves were tall and furious, and the wind was as bad at the waves. From where I had taken shelter inside the cabin I shared with Anna, I was astonished that the Pearl managed to stay upright as it sailed through this nightmare.

Perched on my bed, I felt terrible being here while my friends worked tirelessly to keep the Pearl safely going through the sea. However, Gibbs and Anna-Maria had ordered me down below, and told me to stay there until the storm passed. I had reluctantly obeyed, and now regretted it. Something inside me said that a terrible thing was going to happen, and that I had to run up on deck to keep it from happening, or getting worse.

Listening to this instinct, I flew out of the cabin and tried to keep my footing as I struggled up the steps to the top deck. As I stepped onto the deck, sheets of rain and wind flew at me, blinding me for a moment and nearly causing me to lose my footing. I heard a great deal of cursing and yelling, as well as the snap of the sails in the winds that came off the sea. It was chaos.

Looking around, I saw Mr. Cotton up at the helm while Jack tried to help Gibbs and Anna-Maria with tying down several ropes that had come undone. To my dismay, the woman, Rebecca, was standing under the overhang before Jack's cabin, doing her best to order people around, even though she clearly didn't know what she was talking about. I had to grin at how the men were pointedly ignoring her words and often pushing their way around her to go about their business.

Making my way to the main mast, I was able to wrap my arms around it and take a look around, securely pressed against the tall, solid structure. That was when I looked to my right and felt my blood freeze. There, coming towards us, was a huge wave, and I knew that was why I had experienced a bad feeling; mermaids always knew when they were in danger in the sea. _This_ wave was tall and strong enough to crash over us and wash overboard anyone who wasn't secured to the ship by a rope.

Ducking behind the mast, I clung to the ropes wrapped around it with my life, just as someone spotted the wave and yelled a warning. Cold water engulfed me, and I narrowly escaped being washed into the sea by sheer chance of the fact that the ropes were so tightly knotted to the base of the mast. When the water subsided, I saw most of the crew pressed against the starboard side of the Pearl, while others clung to whatever it was that was securely tied down.

That was when I heard the cry. "Jack!" Anna screeched, immediately catching my attention.

Whirling around, I saw an empty spot where Jack had been. My heart fell to my feet, and before I had time to think, I raced for the railing and jumped, ignoring all of the crew's cries to stop. I knew of their concern for me, but none of them could risk the jump into the treacherous waves –they were still human, and they were all needed to keep the Pearl afloat and on course for safe shores.

But I was not. The magic of the seas still flowed through me, and I could go where they could not.

Into the depths I dove, and just as Calypso had promised, my old ability to breathe beneath water remained. I was almost instantly at one with my old element. True, I had no tail, but the power to breathe underwater was what both Jack and I needed.

Looking around frantically, I tried to find him, but the world down here was as dark as it was up above. I would have to try and find him by focusing on his mind, and pray that I could save him before it was too late.

Closing my eyes, I cast my thoughts out, searching. It did not take long until I felt the unique chaos that was his mind. However, I could sense that he was weak, lost and confused. If I did not save him soon, Jack would die.

I nearly wept when I found him a moment later, drifting just below the surface of the sea. His eyes were closed, and I could sense him losing his grip on consciousness. If he were to become completely unconscious, death would only be a matter of time. I could not lose him.

Kicking my legs furiously, I made it to his side just in time to see his eyes flutter partially open. He seemed to grow more aware at the sight of me, for I could see surprise and concern in his face, but soon his eyes were drifting closed again, sending me into a panic.

Giving myself a mental slap, I wrapped my arms around his waist and began to swim for the surface.

* * *

It didn't take long for me to realize that, though my legs were strong, they were not as powerful as a tail. Without the immense force that a tail could produce, it was nearly impossible for me to get Jack to the surface so that he could breathe. The currants that pushed and pulled at us nearly tore him from my arms several times, and I knew that even if we did make it to the surface, the waves would be just as intense.

With no way of reaching the surface in time, I knew that there was only one way to keep him alive: the Breath of the Sea.

Closing my eyes, I focused on that flicker of magic within me. It was deep down, buried beneath the mound of humanity that had grown to replace my mermaid self. It still burned – not as brightly as before, but it was still there.

Up the magic crept, into my throat and my mouth, where I held it safely until my lips pressed gently against Jack's. He seemed to think that I was kissing him, for he quickly began to kiss me as though in return, his tongue pressing against mine in an effort to part them. Since that was what I had wanted him to do, I parted my lips and forced the magic past his own, sending it deep into his lungs.

As the Breath took hold, Jack's eyes flew open, his body jerking back as the magic filled him, allowing him to breathe. I sighed in relief as he fell back into unconsciousness, leaving me holding his prone body as we drifted underwater.

There was no possible way for me to haul him through the tangled mess of currants and waves up to the surface, and even if I managed that, I could not keep up with the Pearl. I would be exhausted and soon unconscious myself, so it was safer to remain here, underwater.

Relaxing everything except my mind and my arms, I held tightly to my precious burden, enjoying the warmth of Jack's body against mine as we drifted through the Caribbean waters.

* * *

Sadly, magic doesn't last forever, as I well knew, and the Breath was no exception.

The storm was a brutal one, and continued on far longer than I had anticipated. The Breath was a magic meant to last only a brief time, perhaps half an hour at most –just enough time for a human to reach the surface and get to safety. The storm lasted a bit longer than that.

As time moved onwards, I could sense the magic of the Breath slowly draining from Jack's body, and knew that I would need help in saving not only his life, but my own. I could not stay down here with him for much longer, and my body was becoming exhausted with keeping us from drifting too far away from the Pearl. I needed help, and quickly.

Using the last of my strength, I sent out a mental cry into the waters around me. I did not know who or what would hear me, but I fervently hoped that it was something that could help us to the surface.

To my relief, there was a pod of dolphins swimming close by, and at my urgent call, they came as fast as they could. The dominant female listened to the request I sent to her, and agreed that her pod would take me and Jack to the surface.

Although dolphins were known for their incredible speed, agility and strength, the storm hindered them as much as it did me. The dolphins, however, were not drained from using magic and keeping Jack close for such a long length of time, and were more than able to dodge the currants.

Halfway to the surface, Jack began to struggle. Using a mental probe, I sensed that he was hovering near consciousness, and that he was aware that he was underwater. Knowing I had to keep him calm, I dared to risk using my mental gift on him.

'_You'll be alright_,' I gently assured him in his mind. '_Relax. You're safe with me_.'

He immediately went limp, allowing the dolphins to do the task that I had asked them. Finally, with a good deal of effort, we finally broke the surface of the sea.

Looking around, I saw that the storm was beginning to dissipate above us. The dark clouds were slowly breaking apart, allowing glimpses of sunshine to come through in hopeful, shining rays. The wind was dying down as well, and the waves were starting to calm enough so that I could hold onto Jack and not worry about being pushed under.

Looking at my burden, I sighed in relief as I saw that Jack was breathing, and that he was slowly regaining consciousness. Those beautiful, deep brown eyes of his were slightly open, and he seemed vaguely aware of what was happening, because he gave the dolphin tucked under his right arm a surprised look.

"Huh," he said, blinking, "That's interesting."

Giving a weak laugh, I saw the Pearl floating nearby, and grinned. With a bit of gentle urging, I convinced the dolphins to take us to it. They were unhappy with getting so close to the massive vessel, but in moments, we were soon spotted by several crew members, who were swift to climb down with several ropes to rescue us as soon as we were in reach of the hull.

Being the largest of us all, Masterson came down to fetch Jack, while Perkins tossed me over his shoulder and climbed up the ropes, swift as could be. In minutes, Jack was being handed over to Gibbs, who looked relieved as he gently settled Jack onto the deck.

"Thank God!" Gibbs cried, checking to be sure that Jack was alright. "We'd thought you'd gone and drowned yourself! Couldn't even see you from the deck, the rain and water were that bad!"

"Aye, you're lucky, Marina," Anna said, scowling at Perkins until he put me down and released me. I grinned as she began checking me for a fever or signs of faintness.

As soon as both Jack and I were declared safe and sound, I found myself the center of everyone's attention. Anna pressed a cup of something hot into my palm while Mr. Gibbs threw a dry blanket around my shoulders. Beside me, Jack was receiving the same treatment, but his eyes never looked away from me as he drank down whatever was in the cup. I quickly did the same, and was starting to get to my feet when Jack reached out to take my arm.

"Are you alright, Rina?" he asked, face full of concern. "Are you cold? Anna, help the poor girl down below, she must be exhausted from that swim!"

He was right. I nearly stumbled as I tried to walk, but to my surprise, Jack gently slipped an arm around my waist and held me so that I could stand. I blushed, savoring the warmth of his body against mine. Then, as he smiled down at me with his usual playful grin, a surge of joy spread from the top of my head to my toes. Whatever spell that had been placed over Jack was gone. He was himself again!

The smile on his face quickly faded, though, when he looked over my head at someone standing behind me. I quickly followed his line of sight and saw Rebecca standing there, a look of anger, worry, and frustration on her face.

"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack called, "You are to lock up that wench in the brig at once! I don't want to see her above decks until we reach port. Savvy?"

From the smile on his face, Gibbs was only too happy to obey. Rebecca, however, screeched worse than a banshee as not only Gibbs, but also Masterson and Perkins dragged her down below, all three of them ignoring her demands that they release her, as she was going to be marrying their Captain.

Jack, hearing her words, snorted. "The day I willingly marry that wretch is the day Hell freezes," he declared, earning cheers, jeers, and laughter from everyone around us. "Now, let's get out of this storm! Mr. Cotton, turn us back to Tortuga!"

The parrot squawked, "Wind in the sails!" in reply, and as the Pearl made for land, Jack put an arm around my shoulder as he began to guide me to his cabin.

"Come on, luv," he muttered, holding me close. "Let's get you warmed up and dried off."

* * *

Seeing to Marina, Jack sat her down on the bed while his mind thoughts clawed through the fog he had been in for the past four days. He couldn't remember much about what had happened, but he did know that whatever power had held him was gone.

From the moment he had drunk down that rum at the Faithful Bride, it was as though his mind and thoughts had been taken over by another person. He had been forced to do everything to keep his jailer, Rebecca, happy, and not being able to voice his actual thoughts and feelings had slowly begun to drive him mad.

'_Lord, I was such a whelp_!' he thought in disgust. '_Worse than William over that girl, Elizabeth_!'

In a brief moment of honesty with himself, Jack was willing to admit something he never thought he would: All that he had done to keep Rebecca happy had been based on a deep, secretive longing to please Marina. The potion had twisted the feelings he had for Marina and turned them into a never-ending need to please the worthless chit, Rebecca.

Hearing a sneeze, Jack snapped his attention back to the task at hand. Poor Marina was shivering and blue at the lips, and here he was, not tending to her properly! After all that she had done to save his life, the least he could do was get her warm and comfortable!

He quickly gave her one of his own dry shirts and left her alone his sleeping chamber with firm instructions: change, then go right to bed. Since she looked ready to fall asleep at his feet, it was no wonder she didn't hesitate to obey him. It wasn't long before the sounds in the next room ceased, and was replaced with silence. She was asleep.

Settling down in the main cabin, Jack uncorked a bottle of rum and stretched himself out at the large table, propping his feet up as he took a long drink. There were many questions that he wanted answered, and he had a feeling that all of the answers lay with the pretty young thing sleeping in the next room. Even if she couldn't talk, he distinctly remembered the sensation of someone's voice inside his head, telling him everything would be fine, even if he'd been near to drowning at the time.

'_There's just something special about her_,' he smiled, taking another drink.

But it could wait for the dawn, once she was well-rested. For now, he had to make sure to get out of his wet clothes and get a little shut-eye himself. And how could he not sleep well with such a charming, beautiful woman sharing the bed with him?

* * *

AN: Well, Marina finally got to swim. Thanks to everyone for reading, and please don't forget to review!


	16. Truths and Revelations

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Okay, since I started this story before _**Pirates 4**_ came out, I'm going to stick with the idea that mermaids don't talk like we do, but speak telepathically. Also, this story is almost over (just another chapter or so to go!), so beware. Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!

**Chapter 16: Truths and Revelations:**

Waking the next morning, I realized that I was not alone, nor was I in my own bed. Slowly, I began to remember what had happened the day before: the storm, Jack falling overboard, and my saving him from death. We had both been brought onboard, and I happily remembered that he had ordered Rebecca to be imprisoned down below. The spell was broken! Jack was free!

Something shifted behind me, and that was when I realized that there was a weight around my waist. Looking down, I saw a familiar hand resting on my belly –a hand that was covered in rings, and which was connected to a wrist that had an image of a bird in flight over a sunny horizon. Apparently Jack had decided to share the bed with me last night.

Smiling, I closed my eyes and slowly sank back into sleep.

* * *

He'd sensed that Rina had woken briefly, but didn't dare urge her to stay that way. In saving him from death in the water, she had performed a miracle, and deserved a long rest.

'_When she wakes fully, though, I've more than a few questions for her about that whole mess_.'

Marina didn't know this, but he had been conscious during some of their time in the sea. It had been beyond everything he had imagined, breathing and surviving under the waves, rather than seeing death waiting for him. When she had pressed her lips to his, Jack had thought it was a touching kiss of farewell, as though she thought they were both going to die together. Rather than fight her, Jack had accepted it at face value and began to kiss her back.

Then, suddenly, he had felt a sort of power pass from Marina's mouth through his to settle in his lungs, where it bid him to breathe as he would back in the realm of air. That magic had felt familiar, and rather than fight it, Jack had relaxed and breathed.

His eyes glazed at the memory. Breathing underwater had been strange, and a tad frightening, but for a man who adored the sea, it had been everything he'd ever wanted. Even with the storm churning the sky and waves, the water had embraced him like an old friend, and Jack had relished in the feel of not only the water's embrace, but also Marina's.

Safely able to survive in the water, it had been child's play to pretend to be unconscious, which Jack had gladly done, if only to savor the feel of Marina's form pressed close to his. However, his exhausted body insisted that he close his eyes and rest every so often, while his rescuer did her best to keep them safe and alive.

For much of their time adrift, Jack had slipped in and out of consciousness. When he was awake, the feel of Marina against his back was unmistakable, as was the firm hold her arm had around him. It was as if she had feared letting him go and losing him, and that hopeful thought was far more potent than the magic flowing through his body.

Sighing softly, Jack looked at her sleeping form and held her closer. Rather than pull away, Marina hummed a little under her breath and instinctively snuggled against him, her back perfectly fitting against his chest. Smiling, Jack pressed a kiss to her hair, the soft black strands smelling and tasting like the sea.

'_I'll have to make sure she gets a hot bath as soon as she woke up_,' he noted. If he recalled correctly, women liked taking long, hot baths. '_Anna-Maria can fetch that soap I bought her, and she can have a nice soak and scrub_.' Anna could also fetch some clothes for her, too, though Jack rather liked seeing Rina asleep in one of his shirts.

As soon as she was rested, washed, dressed, and fed, Marina would head back to the cabin she shared with Anna-Maria, where his second mate would fuss and fret over her for days, or until she was sure Rina was perfectly alright.

Jack scowled. If there was one person who should be fussing over Marina, it was him. After all, he'd treated the poor girl abominably the past few days, and he desperately wanted to make it up to her.

Thinking back over his actions over the past few days, Jack winced. That wretch, Rebecca, had certainly done a good amount of damage, and he was going to make sure that she never did this sort of thing to another man ever again. Before he dumped her back in Tortuga, however, he would need to have a long talk with his crew, and apologize for the way he had been behaving.

Marina shifted a little in his hold, and Jack began to softly hum to her, lulling her back to sleep. '_Well, perhaps I'll have that talk with them in a bit_,' he decided with a smile.

The moment was too good to turn away from right now.

* * *

The sun was falling onto my face, causing me to wake. Rubbing the dirt and dust from my eyes, I realized I was alone in the bed, and was immediately saddened. Sitting up, I looked around and gave a muted squeak of surprise to see Jack sitting in a chair beside the bed, watching me with a smile.

"Sorry, luv," he apologized, "I was awake an hour ago, and started getting restless. I've made a formal apology to the crew for acting like a complete idiot, thanks to whatever Rebecca slipped into my drink back in Tortuga. They've forgiven me, but I've had to order them to stay away from the brig, so that they don't take their anger out on our prisoner."

I nodded my agreement, though I wouldn't have minded a sound beating as part of Rebecca's punishment. Jack seemed to know what I was thinking, because he winked at me. "I also ordered a hot bath for you. Gibbs and Masterson filled up a half barrel in my main cabin with plenty of hot water. Well, the water's probably a bit cooler now, but it should suit. Anna also brought a bar of your soap, as well as a change of clothes for you."

He hesitated a moment, before rising to his feet. "I'll leave you to it, and be back in an hour or so with our luncheon," he said before leaving the cabin, locking the door behind him so I could have some privacy.

Left alone, I quickly got up and stretched. It was long after noon, but with all of the effort I had put into saving Jack, I wasn't surprised to have slept so long.

Within minutes, I was in the bath, savoring the feel of warm water all around me. I'd never had a full bath before –Anna and I had mostly taken turns scrubbing ourselves clean in our cabin, one person cleaning themselves from the large washbasin while the other stood watch outside. It was easier this way than washing from the basin.

Closing my eyes, I knew that Jack and the men would have questions for me. I could hear some of their thoughts from here, all of them wondering why I had madly leaped into the ocean to save Jack when no one else would. They would also want to know how I had managed to survive in the rough waters, when both of us should have drowned.

I could also sense that Jack was just as puzzled, but he was willing to wait until I was well before asking me the questions that flew through his mind. It would likely make for a good conversation, if it weren't for the fact that it would mostly be one-sided. How was I going to tell Jack the truth when I couldn't find a means of doing so?

'_Writing things down would not work. I don't know how to write most of what I want to say_,' I thought, biting my lip as I washed.

Using my mental abilities could be the answer, but I didn't want to frighten anyone, or cause them to hate me for being…unusual. I sighed. No, if I couldn't speak out loud, I would have to use my ability to speak mind-to-mind. It was the only way I could make Jack understand everything I had to say to him.

'_Well, almost everything_.' There was one thing I couldn't bear to tell him, not until I was sure he felt the same way.

By now, the bath water had gone cold, and I was tired again. I quickly stood and dried off with a bit of cloth left for me by Jack, and dressed, my hair beginning to dry in the warmth of the Caribbean afternoon. When I deemed it dry enough, I went back to the bed and lay down, just as Jack entered with a tray of food.

* * *

Carrying a tray into the cabin, Jack saw Rina lying in bed and smiled. "Tired again already? Well, hopefully some food will fix that quick. Gibbs and Anna-Maria practically emptied the galley of its finest for you."

Placing the tray on a nearby table, he tried not to think about how, of all his crew, she had been the only one to dive in after him. Something inside told him _why_ she had done it, but he didn't dare to hope at what it could be –not until he and Marina had a long discussion about it.

Yanking the lid off of the tray, he stared at the large, steaming boiled lobster that sat there, the shell already cracked in half lengthwise, and its claws snapped open for easy access to the meat within. There was also a small china bowl full of melted butter, though how Anna had managed to keep butter good this long was beyond him.

The smell that filled the cabin caused his stomach to rumble, and he saw Marina hide a smile. He smiled back, and watched as she gestured for him to join her in eating the delicacy that lay there on the tray. Even though he'd already had lunch, there was no possible way for him to refuse such a feast!

The two of them sat there on the bed, bolting down the delicious meal in contented silence. When they were finished, Jack put the empty tray aside and went to fetch the bottle of mint tea that Anna had brewed for her friend. He returned to find Marina curled up on the bed, facing him and looking entirely adorable as she yawned.

"Ah, ah, none of that," he chided while handing her the bottle of tea. "Drink this; it'll perk you right up."

She obediently sat up, took the bottle, and drank down half the contents in a few gulps. When she finished, Rina put the rest of it aside. Satisfied that she'd done as he'd asked, Jack sat on the bed beside her and turned her head so that her blue-as-the-Caribbean eyes looked into his.

"Now, Rina, I think it's time you and I had a little talk," he said, keeping his voice soft and gentle so as not to scare her.

She seemed to wince a little, but nodded in agreement. Since he was the sort who liked to throw most of his cards out on the table at once, Jack took the first step.

"Marina," he whispered, "Out there in the water, I was conscious during some of that dangerous time, and so I know that you did something wonderful to keep me alive and safe."

Her eyes immediately widened with fear and panic, which struck Jack like a blade to the heart. He didn't want to frighten her, just reassure her that everything was alright.

"I'm not angry with you," he hastily said, "In fact; I'm more than a little impressed, and extremely thankful. You not only saved my life, but you also broke whatever hold Rebecca had on me and set me free. I owe you more than you can imagine for that."

She flushed, a soft rosy pink touching her cheeks. The color went well against the sun-kissed, subtle tan that her skin had taken on during her time aboard the Pearl, and Jack felt an irresistible urge to kiss her.

So he did.

* * *

I nearly melted as Jack pressed his lips against mine. The feel of his beard against my face tickled, nearly causing me to laugh as his soft mouth sought my own and warmed my heart.

This kiss was far different than the one we had shared before. Rather than experiencing a mere shock, I felt a marvelous heat spread from my lips to my toes, the feeling indescribable as he reached out to pull me closer to him, holding me gently as he eased me backwards to lay upon the bed.

We lay together that way for a while, Jack and I, only breaking apart to look at each other and to pause for breath. His dark, intense eyes never left my face, those orbs full of emotions I didn't understand, and appeared to be searching for something in his heart that I could not fathom.

When we paused again to look at one another, Jack seemed to decide on whatever it was that had been tormenting him. "I may not know what you are, Rina," he said, looking deep into my eyes, "But I know you are a good woman. I don't care if you are some sort of water nymph or sea spirit in disguise, but I do know one thing."

One hand reached out to brush my cheek. "I love you, Marina," he whispered.

Just then, a sharp burning sensation exploded in my throat, traveling up into my mouth and down into my chest. I reached up to grasp my neck and gasped in pain. That was when I realized that it had been a _real_ gasp, not the usual one that came half-formed from me.

Jack looked alarmed, brown eyes wide as his hand left my cheek. "Rina, what's wrong?" he asked, panicking as his hands went to grasp mine.

Then, as quick as it started, the burning stopped. Still gasping, I realized what had happened. Our time in the ocean had not only helped me break the spell on Jack, but it had helped break the curse that had been set upon me by my sisters!

Thrilled, I looked up at him. My voice would probably be rough from lack of use, but I wanted my first words to Jack to be made now, rather than later. Gathering my courage, I reached up to caress his face, and smiled.

"I love you, too, Jack."

* * *

He stared at her, stunned. There were few times in life where he had been struck speechless, and this was one of them. While he sat there in surprise, part of his mind was thrilled that Marina could speak again, and that her first words to him had been that she loved him.

'_She has a beautiful voice_,' his mind said as he savored the soft, rich tone of it.

In the few words she had spoken, Jack felt that Marina could soothe a savage beast, or lure it to its death; could offer comfort to anyone who she believed needed it, or wail her pain to the open sea and air as she stood on a beach, alone and heartbroken.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, the sorrow in her voice carrying away any anger he might have felt at this revelation. "I would have happily spoken to you before this, but the curse placed upon me would not allow it."

It might have been a lie, but her blue eyes held no falsehoods, and if there was one thing a pirate could easily detect, it was falseness in another person.

And he had experience with curses, what with that whole mess with Barbossa still lingering within his soul. He could understand how his poor girl felt with something like this hanging over her.

"Tell me about it?" he asked, shifting so that he lay beside her, his eyes never leaving her own.

She sighed heavily, as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "I'm afraid it is a long story," she said.

"Ah," he replied, getting up from the bed. "A moment, luv. I'll be right back."

He quickly ran to the main cabin to get a bottle of rum, then rushed back to the sleeping chamber. There sat Marina, her back against the headboard as she looked at him in bewilderment. Climbing back onto the bed, Jack uncorked his rum and settled down next to Marina.

"If there's one thing I enjoy, it's a long story," he explained, making himself comfortable. "Now, start at the beginning. I want to know everything."

* * *

AN: More to come next week! I'm pretty sure I'm out of _**Pirates**_ idea, but if someone has any suggestions, feel free to private message them to me. Thanks so much for reading, and please don't forget to review!


	17. Out in the Open

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own anything related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean **_or_** Little Mermaid**_. Well, except the movies, a Jack Sparrow poster, a magazine with his picture, and the _**Pirates**_ soundtrack, but that's pretty much it. Only original creations (characters, places, etc) are mine.

AN: Here is the last chapter of the story! Next is an epilogue, and then that will be it. I'm still trying to find a plot for another Pirates story, but so far am coming up empty. Perhaps I've finally used up all of my ideas for this category? If so, this might be my last story about Jack, at least for a while.

Thanks so much to everyone for reading and/or reviewing! I appreciate it very much, and hope to see you all again soon. Long live Captain Jack Sparrow!

**Chapter 17: Out in the Open:**

I started at the beginning, with my origins as a mermaid and moving on from there. Even as I spoke, I could sense that Jack didn't believe me when I told him I had been a mermaid, but when I explained _why_ I had been cursed (though not how to break it), he quickly changed his mind and began to trust in what I was telling him.

"_You_ saved me from drowning during that storm?" he asked, incredulous as he stared at me. "I knew someone or something had saved me that day, and it was you!"

As my story was revealed to him, Jack's emotions changed wildly with each event. He became grateful that I had saved him; angry at my being cursed; and smug when I told him how thankful I was for his wonderful teachings in sword fighting. His eyes became filled with longing as I told him of my undersea adventures and travels, and envious as I spoke of the friends I had made with creatures of the sea.

When I finished, he smiled at me. "Well, that certainly answers a lot of my questions and concerns about you," he said, taking a drink from his bottle. "But there are a few that still remain. First, I'd like to know how you managed to learn our ways and language so quickly. Since mermaids don't speak like humans do, how is it you've learned our language?"

I looked down, avoiding his gaze. "My people have the ability to speak to each other with our minds," I softly explained. "I was able to enter and read the part of your minds that has to do with speech, and learned it that way."

Jack suddenly looked panicked. "You read my mind?" he asked, suddenly afraid.

At first, I thought he feared me, but he seemed more afraid at what I might learn from his thoughts than anything else. Smiling, I shook my head. "No, not in that way," I hurriedly told him. "Even we merfolk know that invading another's private thoughts is wrong, and I did my absolute best to stay away from those."

I started nibbling my bottom lip. "It was rather difficult, though. Humans are far too free with their emotions and thoughts, and for most of the time, it occasionally felt as though you were shouting them or throwing them at me. You do it unintentionally, of course, but it tended to be rather helpful, even if it was frustrating."

Jack looked thoughtful. "Alright, that's another question answered. But what I would like to know is how you managed to keep me alive for so long? I could feel it was magic, but what was it, exactly? Was it a spell of some sort? I didn't know the merfolk had spells."

"Oh," I said, blushing, "That was what my people call the Breath of the Sea. If given to a drowning human, it allows them to breathe beneath the water for a short time, until the human manages to reach the surface. I used it to help you survive."

"But I remember dolphins," he insisted. "Where do they fit into the spell you cast?"

Well, _that_ certainly surprised me. I hadn't thought he had been awake when the pod had come to our rescue, but clearly I was mistaken. I sighed. "I called them to help me when I sensed the magic inside you fading. The spell is not meant to last long, so when I felt it begin to lose strength, I sent out a call through the water, and they came to our aid."

Seeing his confusion, I continued, "I am not able to swim as well as I had before, when I had a tail. A tail is stronger, more effective in pushing through the sea, and my human form is weaker than it was when I had been a mermaid. Without a tail, I began to fail in my efforts to get you to the surface, and I had to summon help."

Jack seemed to understand that, because the puzzlement in his face melted away at once. "Ah," he said, taking a drink from his bottle. "So I was not only saved by a former mermaid, but also by dolphins. I'll make sure that Gibbs turns that into one of the stories about me."

Unable to stop myself, I burst our laughing. It took a few moments for me to calm myself, but when I did, Jack was looking at me with a soft, tender smile.

"I've waited so long to hear you laugh, Rina," he whispered, reaching out to stroke a lock of my hair. "It tore at me, hearing you try to laugh and talk, and failing. They're things the rest of us take for granted, and I couldn't help but want the same for you."

He set aside his drink and leaned closer to me, causing me to lie down on the bed. "You have no idea how thrilled I am that the first words you said to me were about how you love me."

And then I nearly melted as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

* * *

Pulling away from Marina's sweet mouth, Jack wanted to go further, but didn't dare. There were so many ways to show Marina how he felt, but he was willing to be patient. Good things came to those who could wait, and although patience wasn't something Jack possessed much of, for Marina, he was willing to do anything.

With her in his arms, they laid there on the bed, listening to each other's heartbeat and soft breathing. It was the most peaceful he had ever felt in his life, and he knew that if Marina stayed with him, he would always feel this way. And that seemed like a very fine thing.

Something stroked his chest, causing him to look down. It was Marina's thumb, and it was stroking the flower-like tattoo that sat just above his heart. He couldn't remember where he'd gotten it, or how, but it was rather well-done, and he'd grown fond of it over the years. Apparently Marina liked it, too.

"It's very pretty," she whispered into the quietness of the room. "What does it mean?"

He smiled. "It doesn't really mean anything," Jack admitted. "I woke up one morning with my skin hurting like hell, and there it was. I don't know what possessed the artist to give me, Captain Jack Sparrow, a lily tattoo, but if I ever find him, I'll have to decide whether to thank him, or swab the deck with his face."

She laughed, and as he lay there listening, Jack savored the joyful sound, as well as the sparkle in her blue eyes. "It suits you," she said, tracing it again. "It shows that there is a softer side to you."

"Don't let the crew hear you say that," he said, his voice stern, but slightly playful. "I can't have them thinking I'm soft."

She laughed again and let her hand rest on his chest, her face suddenly turning serious. "Jack, how am I going to tell the crew the truth about me? They will have to know, sooner or later. It would be very difficult to hide the fact that I can speak now."

He waved that aside. "We'll figure that out after we finish our talk. Right now, I have other things to ask you. But the first is: how did you manage to break your curse?"

Jack watched in delight as her cheeks turned pink again. "I didn't break it, not directly," Marina admitted, clearly embarrassed. "The only way to break the curse was for someone to love me, even with my muteness and my odd ways."

Something inside of him stirred, both in a good and a bad way. "Did you…set out to have me fall in love with you?" he asked, drawing his words out.

"No!" she cried, looking at him with frighteningly honest eyes. "At first, I had thought to learn what I could about the human world, and once I knew how to survive, I would go in search of someone who could possibly love me."

She looked down and away, but not before he saw the hurt and fear in them. "I never thought that you would love me," she whispered. "The most I had hoped for, even after I began to fall in love with you, was that we would merely be friends. Never did I think that you would return my feelings."

Well, that made him feel better about the whole thing. "So voicing my feelings for you broke the curse," he smirked. "Does that mean I get to have you all to me onesies, for all time?"

In spite of her fear, Jack's words made her laugh out loud a little. "Yes, Jack, you do," she said, smiling slightly. "I hope you know how honored you should feel. My people only fall in love a mere once or twice in their many millennia of life, after all."

He sobered quickly, holding his breath. "So if I had ended up in Rebecca's grasp and broken your heart…" He trailed off, not wanting to follow that thought further.

Marina gave him a sad smile. "If you had broken my heart, I would not have found another to love," she softly told him. "Humans may love as they wish, but my people are not so fortunate."

Jack held her close. "Then it's a good thing we both had our spells or curses broken at the right moment, don't you think?"

Laughing, Marina pressed a kiss to his lips. "A very good thing," she murmured, smiling happily.

They were quiet for a few moments, listening to each other breathing before Jack realized something. "You know, I have a feeling that Marina isn't your real name. Did you have one when you were a mermaid?"

"Of course!" she replied, chuckling. "But I like being Marina. My name before was Coral, which was a favorite of my mother's. Merfolk tend to give or take names after things they do or like –it is part of our way. I once knew a merman who called himself Hunter, and many mermaids who name themselves after the stones humans put in jewelry."

"Ah, so you _do_ know about sunken ships and treasures!" Jack exclaimed, feeling smug at having guessed right about that myth.

Marina grinned. "Yes, and it does explain why I had a pouch full of jewelry when you found me."

He grew thoughtful. "So your name is Coral. Hmm. I think I like 'Marina' better."

"I do, too," she stated, reaching up to gently tug one of the beaded braids dangling from his chin. "Besides, my old name belongs to my old world. My future lies here, in yours."

"And with me," Jack said firmly. "I'm not going to let you get away from me, my pretty little mermaid; no matter what."

He could tell she liked that, since her eyes danced and sparkled happily. "Well, then, there are only two things left to do," Marina said, smiling. "First, what to do about Rebecca; and second, how do we go about telling the crew?"

Jack shushed her. "Don't worry about that now," he said, smiling. "We're going to be moored here for a while, as the crew checks to see what damage has been done by the storm. In a couple days, we'll head back to Tortuga, and everything will work out. You'll see."

He kissed her gently. "Now, get some rest. I'll bring you something to eat once you're awake."

She did as he bid, her head settling upon his shoulder as he held her, gently but firmly against him.

* * *

As Jack had promised, we stayed anchored in one spot while the crew checked the Pearl for damage. They accepted the fact that my sudden plunge into the sea meant that I needed peace and quiet for a day or two, and Jack had ordered that I was not to be disturbed by anyone, not even Gibbs or Anna-Maria.

Anna, of course, was furious, but once she was assured that I was alright and merely needed rest, she calmed slightly and returned to her duties. The men, meanwhile, were thrilled that I was doing well, and had cheered up considerably once they knew I was alright and that the spell on Jack had been broken. Having their Captain under another's spell had worried them considerably, and if Rebecca weren't already locked in the brig, I had no doubt an 'accident' of some sort would have befallen her.

Once it was certain that the Pearl was no worse for wear due to the storm, we made sail for Tortuga, where Jack made quick work of dumping Rebecca off at his first opportunity. He then sent a stream of messengers into the town, so that they could spread word of the kind of woman Rebecca was, and that everyone ought to watch their drinks around her, since the last thing Jack wanted was for this to happen to another unsuspecting man. Needless to say, it wasn't long before Rebecca was fleeing towards the other ships in port, desperate for a way off the island before someone decided to put her out of their misery.

We stayed in port for two days –just enough time to make a few repairs and resupply. The food that had been brought onboard for Jack's 'wedding' to Rebecca had been consumed by the crew while we stayed at sea, and to replace all of it, Jack headed into town himself to restock the galley with the best food he could find. He had claimed that it was to 'celebrate' his being free of the love potion, but from the glint in his dark eyes, I knew that he had something else in mind.

Of course, I was right about that 'something else'. The moment we left port, Jack locked the two of us in his cabin and presented me with the loveliest ring I had ever seen.

"Do you know what this means, luv?" he asked as he held up the glittering object.

"No," I admitted, taking the ring from him so that I could look at it. A large blue diamond the size of my smallest fingernail was set in a lovely gold band, and there were little white diamonds that glittered around the center stone. "What does it mean, Jack?"

He grinned and took the ring back. "It means I'm asking you to be my wife," he explained. "Or mate, or partner –not sure what term the merfolk use, but I'm guessing you get the jist of what I'm saying."

I nearly swallowed my tongue. "Oh, Jack," I whispered, suddenly breathless. "I would love to be your wife."

His grin widened, causing his gold and silver teeth to glitter. "Give me your left hand, Marina," he said, taking it as I offered it. "Now, when I slip this on, it means that no other man gets to lay a finger on you unless I say so –which basically means never. Savvy?"

Laughing, I let him slip the ring onto my hand. "Savvy," I replied, holding my hand up to admire its new adornment. "It's beautiful, Jack."

"Course it is," he boasted. "It matches your eyes. Why else would I choose that ring?"

And after a statement like that, I had to kiss him, soundly and deeply, which he liked very much.

* * *

Revealing the truth about me to the crew was the one thing that stood in the way of my happiness with Jack. I knew that it had to be done, but it still frightened me, so Jack did his best to buy me time, the two of us hoping that I would be able to gather my courage and do what needed to be done.

For nearly five days we managed to hide me away, before the crew started getting impatient, starting with Anna-Maria. At that point, Anna started becoming more and more concerned about my health, and she didn't for one moment like the fact that Jack was keeping her from me.

I was, of course, perfectly well, except for one thing: whenever I managed to decide to face the crew, Jack persuaded me otherwise. Of course, I knew he merely wished to keep me to himself, and I could not begrudge him that, not when he was with me, telling me stories about his past, or asking questions about my own. We always shared our meals together, and when we slept, it was in each other's arms, peacefully and deeply. For five glorious days, I was beyond content.

But finally, on the sixth day, Anna's impatience and frustration was catching, for as soon as she began voicing her desire to see me, the men, in their desire to thank me for saving Jack, began to agree. On that day, Jack arrived with our lunch, looking troubled. Without needing to hear him speak, or read his mind, I guessed what was bothering him. "Perhaps it's time to tell them the truth about me," I said, taking the tray from him.

He made to argue, but stopped when I glared at him. He knew that I needed to do this, and would not stop me this time.

We ate quickly, and I immediately began to see to my appearance. I braided my hair into place, and when I was nearly finished, something dropped to dangle in front of my eyes. Shining lengths of white hovered there, catching the light coming through the windows and glistening with a beautiful rainbow sheen. "My pearls!" I cried, reaching for them.

"Smuggled them out of the cabin you share with Anna," Jack said as I took the strands from him.

He watched in fascination as I twisted the long strands around and over my braid, the single large pearl resting perfectly on my forehead. The pearl bracelets went onto my wrists, and I was ready. Jack grinned in approval and offered me a hand.

"Come on, luv," he said, helping me to my feet. "Let's go knock the crew out of their boots."

Grinning back at him, I let him lead me out of the cabin and onto the deck. As I blinked in the sunlight, the crew began to gather around, smiling and cheering as Anna shoved her way through the crowd to face us.

"Well, it's about time!" she snapped, glaring at Jack. "I thought you'd somehow managed to kill her with care, what with all the fuss you were making over her food in the galley." She turned towards me. "And as for you-"

I smiled at her. "I missed you, too, Anna," I said, trying not to laugh.

The deck went silent as everyone went quiet. Jack, however, leaned close to me and whispered a few words of support into my ear before kissing it. My smile didn't falter once as those around me stared for several moments. Finally, Anna stepped forward, coming to put her arm around my shoulders.

"I'm thinking an explanation is in order," she said, nodding towards one of the covered barrels on deck. "And I'm guessing that it's going to be a long tale as well."

* * *

When I finished, there was disbelief everywhere I could see. Well, maybe not in Anna, but I could see doubt in many pairs of eyes, and their minds practically screamed that they thought me insane for telling them such a story.

"You might as well believe her," Jack said, standing protectively beside me. "There's no other explanation for the both of us surviving that storm, not to mention the first one she saved me from, all those months ago. How else could I have somehow come up beside the Pearl, almost none the worse for wear?"

Gibbs cleared his throat. "That may be, Cap'n, but the lads and I would like a bit of proof of the girl's story." He gave me an apologetic look. "After what that wretch Rebecca did, you can't really blame us for being careful."

Jack opened his mouth to argue, but I put my hand on his arm. "It's alright," I said, smiling softly.

Walking to the railing, I closed my eyes and cast out my thoughts. I found the same pod of dolphins that had save me and Jack those few days ago, as well as a small family of whales. Hearing my call, I felt them change direction to come to me.

Opening my eyes, I turned to face the crew. "There are some friends of mine coming, so don't be alarmed," I said, giving Jack a teasing look. "You know some of them, Jack, whom I'm sure you'll recognize."

At that moment, the pod arrived first, the little ones leaping from the water and chattering gleefully at me as they played. The more dignified adults poked their heads out of the water and called their greetings to me, and asked that I convey their 'hellos' to Jack, who stood beside me, grinning.

All along the railing, the crew had gathered. Some still had doubts upon their face, so I judged that a bit more proof was needed. Smiling, I lifted my hand and waved at the dolphins, all of whom immediately mirrored my gesture, leaning to their right so that they could wave their left flippers at me.

"Well, if that ain't enough proof, I don't know what is," Marty said, getting nods from even a few of the hardened disbelievers.

Then a whale leaped from the depths fifty feet away, drawing cries of awe and surprise from everyone.

Jack put a hand on my shoulder. "Rina, luv, I think it might be best to send the whales on their way," he gently suggested, though there was an amused gleam in his eyes. "The crew might get a bit nervous with such large creatures nearby."

Feeling slightly shamed in my showing off, I politely thanked the whales, praised them for their efforts, and wished them good travels on their way to their breeding grounds. They returned their well-wishes, and swam off, though the dolphins still remained.

Before I sent the dolphins on their merry way as well, however, Jack asked me to convey his thanks for saving his life, and asked Gibbs to bring up whatever fish we had below, so that he could show his gratitude by giving the dolphins an 'easy meal.' Since the men had gone fishing earlier for the afternoon meals, there was indeed a lot of fish below, and the men were thrilled to show their gratitude to the creatures who had rescued their captain. The dolphins, in turn, were thrilled with their feast.

When it was finally just us humans (and Mr. Cotton's parrot), the crew immediately flooded me with apologies and thanks, praising me for being such a strong and unique woman. That was when Marty noticed the ring on my left hand and loudly announced that "it looks like our Captain got hooked by a mermaid!"

The men all let up a roar of congratulations, and before I could blink twice, food, instruments, and games were brought out, and Jack and I found ourselves the center of an impromptu party on deck. As a lively tune started, Jack grabbed my hand and pulled me into a dance, the two of us whirling around the deck, laughing as the crew cheered us on.

As I whirled around the deck with my soon-to-be husband, my new life began in a whole different way –and I knew that it was going to be a wonderful one.

* * *

AN: Just the epilogue left! Please review!


	18. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I own nothing related to _**Pirates of the Caribbean**_. That belongs to Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney, and a bunch of other people. Only original characters and plotlines are mine.

AN: Okay, I've decided to not do a sequel, because frankly, I don't have much to go on, so I'll just put everything I have left into this epilogue. Thanks so much to everyone who has read and reviewed! I appreciate it so much! You all rock!

**Epilogue:**

Looking over at Marina's sleeping form, Jack smiled. He was the luckiest man in the world, and knew it. How could he not, when that woman had given him the most wonderful gift he could have hoped for?

* * *

Their wedding hadn't been anything too extravagant, though they had served the finest food and drinks that Tortuga could provide. The ceremony had been conducted by Jack himself, as he hadn't trust anyone else to perform his wedding ceremony –though he did like the occasional game of chance, Jack wasn't going to risk a single thing when it came to something this important, particularly not when it came to a bride like Marina.

And it would figure that the days leading up to his wedding had been an eternity for him.

Jack had wanted a small wedding, with all of the important stuff over with quickly so that he and Marina could move on to the honeymoon as soon as possible. But since Marina was unfamiliar with human marriage customs, she had put all of the planning in Anna's hands, which, in Jack's opinion, had been the biggest mistake.

This was because Anna-Maria, in every effort to give her closest friend a wedding to remember, had insisted on getting the best foods for the feast, and a bolt of the finest material for a wedding gown. Anna clearly wanted what was she felt was best for Rina, and to keep his bride and his second mate happy, Jack had been forced to endure nearly a week of waiting for Marina's wedding outfit to be finished. From what Anna had told him, nothing could go forward until the outfit was done.

Marina had been thrilled at the idea of an elegant outfit, and to keep her happy, Jack had pointed the Pearl towards a small port town for clothing materials. He knew that a small port wouldn't have many expensive, fine foods, but anything decent it had would be good enough for a party after the ceremony.

Anna and Marina had spent the entire journey from Tortuga to the port planning the bridal outfit, and were prepared when Jack handed them a pouch of coins and let them loose on the local shops. They returned two hours later, with triumph and satisfaction all over their faces. A seamstress in town had been hired to make the outfit (the women refused to even say if it was a dress or not), and both Anna and Rina were excited to go back for the fittings.

Jack, meanwhile, had been forced to pace, complain, and wait impatiently while others planned everything out for him. Since he knew nothing of wedding ceremonies, and since the women were busy with their garments, Jack had told Gibbs, Marty and Cotton to put together the feast that followed the vows he and Rina would exchange.

As such, when the bridal outfit was declared to be finished and the wedding day set, his trusty crewmen had pooled their coins together and gone into town, hiring a local cook to take care of the food. That cook managed to whip up a large roast of beef, two chickens, heaps of cooked vegetables and bread, and a massive platter of local fruits. Jack had no idea how the men managed to do it, but the whole thing had somehow been set up on the deck on the day of the wedding, while he had been getting dressed and ready.

Clad in his finest coat, hat, boots, belt, vest and bandana, Jack had spent an hour pacing his room, with Masterson and Perkins keeping an eye on him while Gibbs and the others readied the deck for the ceremony. Perkins tried to calm his Captain by telling old pirate jokes, while Masterson guarded the door, preventing Jack from leaving his cabin before someone came to tell him that everything was ready.

When the signal had come in a series of knocks on the door, Jack had immediately felt ill. Even though his desire to marry Marina was greater than anything he had ever felt before, that didn't stop the pre-wedding nerves from getting to him. As he made his way to the helm, where the ceremony would take place, Jack couldn't help but wonder whether or not Rina would change her mind on the whole thing. His mind began imagining her diving over the railing of the ship and swimming away with a pod of dolphins, never to return to him.

When she emerged from the odd dressing tent that the men had set up on deck for her, Jack had nearly swallowed his tongue. He had never seen Marina in a dress, and he was glad that he hadn't –it was fitting that his first experience be on his wedding day.

Her gown was a white satin, with a shimmering blue tint to it that made him think of foam on the sea. The blue matched her eyes beautifully, and her night-black hair contrasted perfectly against it. Woven through the strands of her hair were the strands of pearls that he had found her in, and on her wrists were the silver bracelets –one he had bought her, the other of her own purchase. In her hands was a bouquet of lilies and white roses, tied with a wide white ribbon trailing down to Marina's knees.

As she got closer, Jack noticed the serene smile on her face, and felt his own unease vanish. She had no regrets or fears about this day, so why should he?

Somehow, Jack managed to remember the traditional marriage vows, because the whole thing went without his crew laughing at him. And after they had said "I do," he immediately pulled Marina into a kiss that had them both breathless and dazed.

The feast afterwards would always be a blur to him, but the night that followed was engraved into his memories for all time…

* * *

The sound of his wife's yawn drew him from his memories. She lay there, looking up at him with a puzzled smile, but there was a sense of contentment that hadn't left her since the day they had wed.

"You seem happy this morning," she commented, still smiling.

"I'm happy every morning I wake with you next to me," he replied, leaning in for a kiss, which she happily returned.

"Hmm," she hummed happily into their kiss.

They lay there for several moments, savoring the quietness of the day in each other's arms. They separated just as the connecting door to the neighboring cabin burst open, and a squealing mass hurled through the air to land on the bed, giggling.

Marina laughed and scooped up the giggling mass. Once in her arms, the little girl stilled, her head leaning contentedly against her mother's shoulder. "My lovely little flower," Marina cooed to her.

Jack smiled. Just before their wedding, while she had been looking for blossoms for her bouquet, Rina had developed a fondness for flora that hadn't been there before. She loved the delicate white lilies; the elegant look and heavy scent of roses; and the dozens of other flowers that she had encountered on her shopping trips were, to Marina, as lovely as jewelry.

So it was no surprise when, a few months later, after it was discovered that she was pregnant, Marina had immediately decided that any daughters she had would be named after a flower. She even had a book on flowers, with drawings in it, so that she would know which blossom would suit her daughters.

"Lily, darling, would you go play while Mum and I get up?" Jack asked, leaning forward to kiss his precious girl on her soft cheek. His precious little one was not only named for the flowers in her mother's wedding bouquet, but for the tattoo Jack bore on his chest –Marina's favorite of all his artistic markings.

"Yes, Daddy," she said, returning the kiss before she climbed off the bed.

Once the connecting door closed behind her, Jack heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness she didn't put up a fight this time," he said, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. "Lord knows I can't say 'no' to those pleading blue eyes of hers."

Who would have thought that he, Captain Jack Sparrow, once a great wooer of women, would be held prisoner by the sweet, wide eyes of his tiny daughter? That mischievous little three-year-old had reached out and wrapped her tiny hand around his heart the minute she was born, and now she nearly as much power over him as his wife!

Arms wrapped around his waist, causing him to turn his head in time for a kiss from his beloved. "That is why you have Anna-Maria and me here, to help keep her in line," she teased, eyes dancing in amusement. "Now, we'd better get dressed, before our Water Lily decides to take one of her unexpected swims in the sea."

Jack snorted and reached for his shirt. "No fear from me on that," he said, grinning. "Not when she's inherited more than one of her mum's _unique_ traits."

Marina gave him a playful glare and turned to get dressed. They both finished at the same time, and headed out on deck just in time to hear a great splash off to the starboard side. Jack grinned as Lily's godmother rushed to the side, uttering curses as she searched the waves.

"Sparrow, I swear that your daughter's got more of your troublemaking skills that you'll ever know!" Anna yelled, glaring at him in between watching the water. "Now come over here and fish her out before she catches cold!"

Laughing, Marina went to join her. "Don't worry, Anna, I'll get her," she soothed her friend.

Jack couldn't help but throw Anna a smug grin as Marina leaped over the side, performing a perfect dive into the clear blue water of the sea. A moment later, both mother and daughter broke the surface, laughing as a pod of dolphins kept them afloat and apace with the Black Pearl's speed.

'_I love those animals_,' Jack thought to himself.

The playful things hadn't left since the day Lily was born, and were actually the same creatures that had saved him and Marina that day in the sea. And since his daughter's birth, the dolphins had faithfully kept close to the Pearl, always there in case Lily took one of her dips in the water.

"That's what I get for having a daughter with mermaid blood in her," he said, watching Lily clutch the dorsal fin of a large dolphin.

"It's worse that she's got your love of the sea in her," Anna said. "You ought to have a long rope permanently handy for instances like this -at least to keep her from going overboard so often."

Gibbs laughed, coming up beside them. "Eh, let her swim. I wish I could dive in with them, but Lord knows I can't breathe under the waves!"

"Papa, we're coming back up!" Lily called, her voice ringing clear and innocent up to the deck.

A rope was immediately dropped, and a moment later, both of his ladies were on deck, dripping and smiling happily from their swim. Grinning, Jack swept them both up into a hug.

Life was good.

* * *

AN: The end! Thanks so much for reading, and for reviewing! I'm not sure when I'll come up with another Pirates story, so keep checking my bio page for updates. Again, thanks to all those who have supported me through this story! Much love and pirate luck to you!


End file.
